Strong runs from Sweeney and Mulhare brothers in Edinburgh Cross Country

Joe Sweeney (Dundrum South Dublin AC) competed well against some top class international opposition before finishing a very respectable 10th place in the high quality IAAF Cross-Country Challenge over the hilly snow covered Hollyrood course in Edinburgh today. The tall and determined Dubliner finished ahead of some reputable international runners in the three-way team challenge event, clocking 26:29 behind the impressive winner Mo Farah, the African born British runner, who came away in the second half of the 8.2 K course to win comfortably in 25:41.

 
 Galen Rupp of the USA was second in 25:50, Ayad Lamdassam of Spain third in 25:55, with the reigning European champion Sergey Lebid of the Ukraine back in fourth position in 25:59, with Sweeney involved in a fierce battle for the other front places.

 This was possibly Sweeney’s most impressive run yet and marked another notable performance for the Dundrum athlete in this cross country season, having come back from injury and a series of set-backs to win the Woodie’s DIY National Inter-Counties Championship in the snow of Derry in November, and then finish 2010 with a notable 21^st finish in the European Cross Country Championship in December.

Sweeney helped Europe to the team victory prize by three points over the USA, with Britain third, and he will now be looking towards building on this encouraging performance in the coming months building up to the Woodie’s DIY Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships next month.

The short course 4.2k event was won impressively by 26 year old multi talented Eliad Kipchoge of Kenya in 13:10, from the Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop of Kenya.

 

Michael Mulhare from Portlaoise, one of the key U23 winning team members in last month’s Euro Cross, put in another highly creditable run to finish the best of the Irish in 9th place in 13:42, and his brother Dan also ran well to finish close behind in 11th position in 13:52. Both of the capable Laois athletes will be looking to build on their performances and the further high quality competition experience gained today in the coming months.

Details:

 

BUPA IAAF Grand Challenge Cross-country Challenge, Edinburgh

 

8.2K: 1, M Farah (Britain) 25:41. 2, G Rupp (USA) 25:50. 3, A Lamdassam (Spain/Europe) 25:55. 4, S Lebid (Ukraine/Europe) 25:59. 10, J Sweeney (Ireland/Europe) 26:29.

 

Team: Europe 50 pts. 2, USA 53, 3, Great Britain

 

Short Course (4.2K): 1, E Kipchoge (Kenya) 13:10. 2, A Kiprop (Kenya) 13:19. 3,  B Kipruto (Kenya) 13:20. 9, M Mulhare (Irl) 13:42.11, D Mulhare (Irl) 13:52.