Dominant Buttner completes unbeaten run in schools cross country

Never in the long history of Irish Schools cross country running has any athlete won six straight titles out of a possible six, but Siofra Cleirigh Buttner of Colaiste Iosagain put that record straight with a typically dominant performance at the Cork Institute of Technology on Saturday.

Buttner cruised to victory in the senior girls' race – defending the title won last year, to add to the two titles already won at intermediate and junior level, and with that completing her incredible unbeaten run in schools competition.

Most decorated athlete
With a similar number of titles also won of the track Buttner is unquestionably the most decorated athlete in Irish Schools' competition: "It's never been done before, so I'm delighted to have done it," said Buttner.

"I started thinking about this when I won the fourth title, so it's relief to have finally done it."

Class mate second
Chasing her home on Saturday was class mate Sarah Mhaolmhuire, with Deirdre Healy from the Dublin Institute third.

Ursiline Thurles won the team title ahead of Colaiste Iosagain and Loreto Kilkenny.

Andrew Coscoran of St Mary’s Drogheda also out class-classed school mate Aaron Hanlon to win the boy’s senior title.

Kevin Mulcaire of St Flannan’s in Ennis, winner of the national junior title last weekend, took the intermediate boys race, also leading his school to the team title, while Paddy Maher of Dunshaughlin produced a very impressive run to win the junior boy’s title.