Britton fails to fire in feature 10km race

IAN O’RIORDAN:

Road racing was never her forte and yet Fionnuala Britton found herself surprisingly off the pace at yesterday's Great Ireland Run 10km in the Phoenix Park, and she wasn't the only one.

Britton was expected to contest the top spot with cross country rival Sophie Duarte of France, who took Britton's European title last December. Instead Iwona Lewandowska from Poland made her break after just 3km: Britton allowed the Polish athlete get away, along with Duarte, and that gap remained insurmountable until the end.

So while Lewandowska stayed strong to the finish to win in 33 minutes 39 seconds – with Duarte second in 33.48, and Spain's Alessandra Aguilar third 33.49 – Britton had to settle for fourth, clocking 33.54. Britton did have the consolidation of winning the national 10k title, with the veteran Catherina McKiernan finishing a brilliant second, 10 years after winning the event. The 44 year-old McKiernan finished in seventh place overall in 35:03.

Cork's Mark Harahan was first Irishman in the elite men's race, finishing sixth place in 30:20 - and with that took the national title. Outright victory went to Japheth Korir from Kenya, the World cross country champion, who was comfortably in control from 4k, winning in 29:12 - with Britain's Andy Vernon seven seconds behind, and Michael Shelley of Australia third in 29:33.

There was one Irish victory on the day when Paul Robinson from the St Coca's club in Kildare showed his winter training in Australia had gone extremely well by winning the elite men's mile in 4.02. John Travers from Donore Harriers finished a close second place 4.04, a further two seconds ahead of Britain's Ross Murray.

There was also a very familiar winning name in the junior women’s race as Sophie O’Sullivan from Ballymore Cobh, daughter of Olympic silver medallist Sonia, took the win in 9:06.