ATHLETICS/Women's Mini Marathon: Although it's almost exclusively a fun-running event, yesterday's Women's Mini Marathon also had a competitive edge, with Pauline Curley determined to repeat her victory of 2003. Curley was favourite to win it last year, until Sonia O'Sullivan showed up on the start line and coasted to victory.
This time there would be no one to surprise Curley. The Tullamore athlete sat comfortably in a leading trio that included Niamh O'Sullivan and Orla O'Mahony, before making her move inside the last 2km to secure the win - clocking 35 minutes, four seconds for the 10km distance.
That left her 14 seconds clear of veteran Kerry athlete O'Sullivan. O'Mahony, who runs with the Raheny club in Dublin, held on for third in 35.41.
"I'm delighted with the win," said Curley, the 37-year-old chef. "I did feel quite strong out there, even though the training hadn't gone great over the last few weeks. But I was happy to stay with the other girls for a while before making my move."
It was the second Mini Marathon title for Curley, and adds to her first national marathon title she won in Dublin last October. The plan now is to give the 26.2-mile distance another shot before the end of the year.
O'Sullivan was well satisfied with her second place, having previously finished fourth, fifth and sixth.
O'Mahony, at 28, is a former scholarship athlete in Providence College in the US, and now teaches in Dublin.
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