Running News Daily

Brigid Kosgei fine tuning for London Marathon at Lisbon Half Marathon

Former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei will be keen to gauge her form at the Lisbon Half Marathon ahead of her return to the London Marathon.

Former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei is the star attraction for the Lisbon Half Marathon, where she intends to have a great build-up for the London Marathon.

The 30-year-old will use the 21km race scheduled for Sunday, March 17 to gauge form and pace for the marathon that takes place in the capital city of England.

In addition to Kosgei, there will be other big names in the ladies' elite in Lisbon, with six more women with personal bests under 68 minutes.

Bosena Mulatie (65.46), Tigist Menigstu (66.20), and Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (66.37) will be hoping to stop Kosgei who suffered an injury last season and was forced to withdraw from the London Marathon.

Pauline Esikon (67.15), Vivian Melly (67.35) and Zewditu Aderaw Gelaw (67.25) are the other highlights beyond Kosgei.

The men’s field has attracted 10 athletes with the best marks under the hour. Abraham Kiptum will be returning and he is the biggest highlight, with a personal best of 59.09.

He will face a stern test from Ethiopians Solomon Berihu (59.17) and Dinkalem Ayele (59.30), but also compatriots Brian Kwemoi and Bravin Kipkogei Kiptoo (both with 59.37).

Meanwhile, several European athletes like the Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen (59.48), the Germans Amanal Petros (60.09) and Hendrik Pfeiffer (62.05), the Irish Stephen Scullion (61.08), Hélio Gomes and Rui Pinto have also confirmed participation. Brazilian Daniel do Nascimento, with a personal record of 61.03, will also be present, in what is his first race with Nike.

(03/13/2024) Views: 197 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula

Ethiopia's Kemal Husen Wins Dublin Marathon In Course Record 2:06:52

Belfast man Stephen Scullion finished third in the men's race at the Dublin Marathon as Ethiopian winner Kemal Husen set a new course record of two hours six minutes and 52 seconds.

Husen went to halfway in 1:02.56 and eventually bettered Othmane El Goumri's 2019 mark by one minute and 14 seconds.

Uganda's Geofrey Kusuro was second in 2:10.45 with Scullion clocking 2:11.51.

Scullion won the concurrently run Irish Championship with Ann-Marie McGlynn taking the national women's title.

Ethiopia's Amente Negash won the overall women's race in a personal best of 2:26.22 as she was 42 seconds ahead of Kenya's Joan Kipyatich with another Ethiopian Genet Abdurkadir a further 45 seconds back in third.

Kenya's Peninah Jerop was fourth in 2:29.06 with 43-year-old Strabane-based McGlynn, who set her personal best of 2:29.34 in 2021, thrilled with her performance in fifth as she clinched the Irish national marathon title for the first time with a 2:34.13 time.

North Belfast athlete Gladys Ganiel, 46, was second in the Irish Championship as she took eighth overall in 2:37.08 - 26 seconds outside her personal best set in Dublin four years ago - while Donore's Sorcha Loughnane was the next woman over the line as she completed the podium positions in the national event.

'I needed to believe in myself again'

After finishing overall Dublin runner-up in a time of 2:12.01 in 2019, Scullion secured another podium spot as he produced his second fastest marathon and his quickest run over the 42km distance since his Irish record performance of 2:09.49 in London three years ago.

The 34-year-old Belfast man went to halfway in 1:05.37 and maintained his form impressively in the damp conditions to hold off Kenya's Kimal Kipruto for the final overall podium position by four seconds.

'I needed to believe in myself again'

After finishing overall Dublin runner-up in a time of 2:12.01 in 2019, Scullion secured another podium spot as he produced his second fastest marathon and his quickest run over the 42km distance since his Irish record performance of 2:09.49 in London three years ago.

The 34-year-old Belfast man went to halfway in 1:05.37 and maintained his form impressively in the damp conditions to hold off Kenya's Kimal Kipruto for the final overall podium position by four seconds.

Scullion qualified for the Tokyo Olympics only to drop out amid the searing heat in Sapporo but the Dublin performance should give him renewed belief that next year's Paris Games is an achievable target for him even though the qualifying mark is a penal 2:08.10.

As was the case before Tokyo, there is another route to Paris which will enable athletes who secure top-five finishes in one of the globe's 14 platinum marathons, which include the likes of London, New York, Chicago and Berlin, to earn qualification.

Another Ethiopian, Asefa Bekele, was also under 2:12 as he clocked 2:11.57 to take fifth.

Leevale's Ryan Creech was second in the Irish Championship as he ran 2:14.08 - a minute and five seconds outside his personal best - for seventh overall with Newcastle AC's Ryan Forsyth completing the national event podium spots as he was eighth overall in an impressive 2:14.43 on his marathon debut.

Husen's course-record winning men's time also took one minute and 17 seconds off his previous personal best set when he placed sixth at the Dubai marathon in February.

The Ethiopian's task was made easier after last year's winner Morocco's Taoufik Allam dropped out early on with an apparent hamstring injury.

Kildare man Patrick Monahan earned his seventh wheelchair race victory in Dublin as he clocked 1:41.04.

Monahan will be back in action at next Sunday's New York Marathon where he has previously achieved a top-five finish.

(10/31/2023) Views: 415 ⚡AMP
by John Haughey

Ethiopians Yehualaw and Yimer look for fast times at Antrim Coast Half

British distance runners Marc Scott and Callum Hawkins are also set to race 13.1 miles while Haile Gebrselassie and Jo Pavey will run the one mile fun run this weekend.

Ethiopian distance running stars Ethiopians Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Jemal Yimer lead a world-class line-up at the ‘Mid & East Antrim’ Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Larne, Northern Ireland, on Sunday (Aug 28). There is plenty of British interest too with Marc Scott and Callum Hawkins among the entries.

The event, which is set to be covered live on BBC online from 8.55am, sees Yehualaw coming into this year’s race having broken the women’s world record over 10km with 29:14 in Castellon, Spain, earlier this year, in addition to running the fastest female debut marathon ever of 2:17:23 in Hamburg in April.

At the Antrim Coast event last year she appeared to break the world record for 13.1 miles with 63:43 but was denied the mark due to the course being found to be 54 metres short.

Yehualaw will be joined at this year’s Antrim Coast event by her training partner Tsehay Gemechu. The 23-year-old Ethiopian comes to this year’s with a personal best of 65:08 and has been winner of the Lisbon Half-Marathon two years in a row and Copenhagen Half-Marathon in 2021.

In addition for this World Athletics Elite Label road race there is Gete Alemayehu, who recorded 66:37 for second in Barcelona Half-Marathon in April. Beatrice Chepkemoi of Kenya, who has a PB of 67:29, will make it four women who have run under 67:30.

Three male pacemakers have been lined up and there is Northern Ireland interest courtesy of Emma Mitchell, Fionnuala Ross and Hannah Irwin.

The men’s field is led by Ethiopian record-holder and last year’s winner, Yimer. He is the quickest in the race with a PB of 58:33 but faces fellow Ethiopian Tesfahun Akalnew, who was was runner-up in Larne 12 months ago and has subsequently recorded a 2:06:55 marathon in Amsterdam.

Bethwel Birgen of Kenya is set to set the pace with Scott in particular hoping to be dragged under the 60 minute barrier. The Brit was not at his best in this summer’s track championships but has great pedigree on the roads after having won the Great North Run last year.

Could he get close to Mo Farah’s British record of 59:32 set in Lisbon seven years ago?

Also in the line-up are Shadrack Kimining of Kenya, Huseydin Mahamed of Ethiopia and Gizealew Ayana of Kenya, all of whom have broken the 60-minute barrier in the past.

Northern Ireland’s Stephen Scullion is also due to run plus Omar Ahmed of Birchfield Harriers.

The event has also secured a major coup with the signing of Haile Gebrselassie. The 49-year-old, who won multiple global titles during his career, will run the inaugural Antrim Coast Classic Street Mile for fun with Jo Pavey, young athletes and parents on Saturday evening (Aug 27) before joining race director James McIlroy to commentate on a half-marathon the next day.

(08/26/2022) Views: 858 ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson

Stephen Scullion and Paul Pollock ready for big guns in Antrim Coast Half Marathon

Tokyo Olympians Stephen Scullion and Paul Pollock will spearhead the local challenge against a star-studded international field in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon on Sunday.

Sir Mo Farah - who won the 5,000m and 10,000m double at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 before missing out on Tokyo qualification - is unable to defend the inaugural title he won last year in a time of one hour and 27 seconds due to injury but will be at the event as race starter and will also carry out media and ambassadorial roles. Sir Mo said: "I can't wait to be involved this time around, especially with the kids race.

I aim to be back for another crack at the race next year." Big-race organiser James McIlroy - an 800m semi-finalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and who roomed with Sir Mo on Team GB trips - feels it will be one of the strongest half marathon line-ups ever seen on these islands.

"It promises to be one of the greatest half marathons ever assembled in the UK or Ireland with 53 men and 25 women taking to the start. With three full national teams confirmed, and runners from Africa, America, Europe, UK and Ireland, this year’s first ever World Athletics event in the province promises to be one of the leading road races in the world for 2021," said the Larne man, grandson of Belfast Celtic legend Sid McIlroy.

In addition to boasting 11 Olympians, headlining the men’s race will be Ethiopian record holder Jemal Yimer. Yimer won his last half marathon outing at the Houston half marathon in 2020 and has also achieved the fastest ever debut half marathon in 59:00 achieved in R’as al Khaimah in the UAE back in 2019.

He will be joined by countryman Tesfahun Akalnew, who has a personal best of 59:22, previously finished second in the African Games and comes to the Antrim Coast with strong runs in 2020, finishing fifth in the Barcelona Half Marathon and sixth in New Delhi. Completing the African trio will be Shadrack Kimining, winner of the 2016 Cardiff Half Marathon and in Gothenburg in 2018 and 2019.

Leading the UK and Ireland challenge will be Tokyo Olympians Scullion, Pollock and Marc Scott, the latter the two-time European record holder and second fastest all-time Briton behind Sir Mo over 10,000m. On Sunday Scott will seek to become only the second Briton to break the 60-minute barrier.

Belfast ace Scullion finish fourth in last year’s race on the way to setting a new Northern Ireland record of 61.12. Pollock, fresh from his second Olympics, will make his debut on the fast scenic course and should also threaten the top positions.

Barcelona Olympian and multiple World record holder Tommy Hughes will have huge crowd support as he makes his latest bid on the Vet +60 World record, which he smashed at last year’s race in a time of 71.09. McIlroy added: "With full strength teams from Ireland, England and Northern Ireland, we may well see the first ever sub-60-minute half marathon in Ireland." The women’s race is headlined by Ethiopian sensation Yalemzerf Yehualaw.

The 22-year-old finished third in last year’s World Half Marathon Championship after tripping on the finishers mat, and has targeted the Antrim Coast's fast course since lthe inaugural event last September. The elite race starts at 8.00am in Larne with the mass participation event - cancelled last year due to the Covid pandemic - starting at 9.30am. There will be live coverage on the BBC.

(08/28/2021) Views: 1,155 ⚡AMP
by Frank Brownlow

The Belfast Marathon will be limited to 4,800 runners this year and just 200 Athletics Ireland runners will be allowed to run

A select number of Irish runners will get to compete at a 2021 National Marathon Championships in October, only it will mean travelling to the North as the event will be staged as part of Belfast City Marathon already set for Sunday, October 3rd.

Athletics Ireland announced on Thursday that only 100 male and 100 female entries would be made available, and interest in being sought “from athletes who have acquired suitable times over the last three years”. The closing date is Thursday week, August 19th.

Unlike the 2021 Dublin Marathon, cancelled for the second year running due to Covid-19, organizers of the Belfast event have got the go ahead. The total entry number is capped at 4,800.

Runners can also be included in the Irish National Marathon if they secure a regular race entry, which will cost them £63. Closing date for that is Friday, August 27th.

Last year’s cancellation of the Dublin Marathon meant there was no National Marathon for 2020, the event being staged as part of the Dublin Marathon for the last number of years.

Other National Road events did proceed this year, Tuam Athletic club organizing the National 20km walk championships in June, one week after the numbers were allowed post Covid restrictions, and 150 senior and junior athletes competing, including Tokyo bound Olympians Brendan Boyce and David Kenny.

The Belfast Marathon route takes in the four areas of Belfast; North, South, East and West, starting at Stormont Estate at 9am and finishing in Ormeau Park.

Given the date, reigning Irish men’s marathon champion Stephen Scullion from 2019 won’t be running as he is set to run the Boston Marathon, postponed from its normal date in April to October 11th. Reigning women’s champion Aoife Cooke from Cork may be in a position to defend her title, however.

In early July, for the second year running, organizers of the Dublin Marathon were forced to cancel the event outright given the still “many unknowns” around outdoor mass participation events for the rest of the year.

While always unlikely to be the full 25,000 sell-out entry of runners originally signed up in advance of the 2020 edition, postponed in May of last year due to Covid-19, there had been some hope and expectation a more limited entry will get the go ahead.

(08/13/2021) Views: 1,062 ⚡AMP
by Ian O'Riordan

Star-studded field 2021, announced for Antrim Coast Half Marathon

With over 100 runners in the International elite race, over 400 in the sub-elite and with record numbers entering the mass race, this year’s Antrim Coast Half Marathon will be arguably one of the best half marathons in Europe, and one of the greatest ever in the United Kingdom.

The men’s race has seven men confirmed who have run under the 60-minute barrier.

Headlining the African contingent will be Jemal Yimer – winner of the Valencia Half Marathon in 2018. The current 6th fastest man of all time, Ethiopian record holder and ranked second in the world for the last two years, with a PB of 58:32 will be looking to better his own personal best on the super-fast route.

Joining Yimer will be fellow countryman Tesfahun Akalnew, the 21-year-old sensation, with a personal best time of 59:22 from the New Delhi Half Marathon will also look to better his time at this year’s event.

Shadrack Kimining, one of three Kenyans confirmed in this year’s race, twice breaking 60 minutes last year, placing third in Houston and running a PB in New Delhi with a time of 59:27 is also a confirmed starter.

Abrar Osman the Eritrean Olympic finalist and bronze medallist is looking to better his personal best of 59.47 set at the Lisbon International Half Marathon. A former winner of the African Games, he was seventh in the World Half Marathon championships in Cardiff in 2016.

Kenya’s latest star Daniel Mateiko, part of the postponed 2021 Kenyan World Cross Country team will be competing in his first ever half marathon after his world-class 10,00m debut in Hengelo last month, recording a time of 27:03, the fastest ever debut 10,000m.

With hopefully one global superstar still to announce, the British challenge will come from last year’s second place finisher, two-time European record holder and second fastest Briton all-time over 10,000m Marc Scott, looking to break the 60-minute barrier for the first time, returning fresh from the 5000m/10,000m double at the Tokyo Olympics.

British Olympian and Berlin Marathon fifth placer Scott Overall will also return to this year’s race.

The Irish contingent in the men’s race will be headlined by four Olympian’s young and old.

Belfast native Paul Pollock, post Tokyo Olympics will be looking to better his 62:09 and reclaim his Northern Ireland record broken at last year’s race by Stephen Scullion.

The women’s race will be headlined by Ethiopian sensation and third fastest ever Yalemzerf Yehualaw targeting the World Record on the super-fast course, a feat only ever achieved by Khalid Kannouchi and Paula Radcliffe in the UK, on both occasions set at the London Marathon.

After posting personal bests earlier in the year over the half marathon distance in Istanbul, with a time of 64:40 and running her first ever 5,000m in Paris last month, in a sensational debut of 14:53 her preparation has been perfect for an assault on the women’s world record.

Ethiopian stablemate Tsehay Gemechu will arrive fresh from her assault at the Olympic 10,000m in Tokyo, where she will be looking to better her two fourth place in the World Championships and sixth in the World Cross Country.

Gemechu will attack her own personal best of 66 min 0 sec, which she set winning the New Delhi Half Marathon in 2019.

Two-time World Half Marathon medallist Mary Ngugi is also confirmed and will look to get back to her form of 2016 which saw her take the silver medal at the World Half marathon championships in Cardiff, before targeting one of the major city marathons in October.

The British contingent will be headlined by last year’s fourth placer Becky Briggs, Tracey Barlow, and Ellie Davis with Irish distance stars Ann Marie McGlynn and Marie McCambridge also confirmed to start.

Last year’s winner Lily Partridge has had to pull out of defending her title due to an operation on her ankle, but has confirmed she will still make the journey to the province to support on the day.

(07/02/2021) Views: 929 ⚡AMP
by The Newsroom

After waking up in a pile of vomit right before XMAS, Irish 2:09 marathoner Stephen Scullion hasn't drank alcohol since

‘I didn’t even stay home for Christmas because I pretty much didn’t trust myself to stay and not drink again’

Olympics-bound Scullion opens up on ‘wise’ decision to bin booze as he continues pursuit of happiness

Stephen Scullion woke up in a pile of his own sick a few days before Christmas.

The Tokyo-bound marathoner was back home on holiday in Belfast.

“I had drunk way too heavily and had thrown up on the bed.

“I ended up booking a flight back to England the next day. So, I didn’t even stay home for Christmas because I pretty much didn’t trust myself to stay and not drink again.”

Scullion hasn’t touched alcohol since. His decision to quit was also influenced by a tweet posted by recent Oscar-winning Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins. “With gratitude, I celebrate 45 years of sobriety,” wrote Hopkins on December 29.

“I know how much it (alcohol) messes with my psychology, and I know it doesn’t help my running. I’m always running away from situations that probably I could end up being in where I would drink too much, go over the top.

“I tried to think of one time in my life where alcohol has actually done something good for my life, and I couldn’t think of one thing. I think I used to not drink because of running.

“Whereas this time, before Christmas, I made the decision I was going to do this for me. I do all this work to try (and) improve my mental health, try to be happy, and then to go ruin it, just by being greedy with alcohol. I just decided I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“Honestly, it’s not like I had a drink problem. The problem was I’m greedy. It’s not like I’m borderline alcoholic or anything like this.”

It was what happened after he drank that was the issue.

“I could drink and drink and drink and everyone thought I’m fine and in a great mood. And then my body decides I can’t process all this alcohol, because I normally live up a mountain like a saint.

“And here you are hammering 10 pints or 12 pints and shots, and yeah, then my body just rejects it, and I’d be incredibly low.”

Occasionally there were days when he couldn’t get out of bed because his “body was so broken from boozing”.

“It has just been a wise decision on my part. But I miss going and having a pint with my dad. I miss things like this because they are safe, and they are good.

“But the way I see it if I can’t handle it all then it is not worth it. I don’t want to go for a pint with my dad five times and think, ‘Oh, I’ve changed, oh, I’m better now, oh, I’m not greedy anymore’ because I know it will always be there.”

Scullion, who ran a career-best marathon time of 2:09.49 when finishing 11th in last October’s elite London, did seek professional help last year to cope with mental health issues.

“In September (2020) I reached out to the Sports Institute in Northern Ireland and said I wasn’t doing well. I was doing brilliant at running, that’s the easy part for me.

“I said I needed some help and they set me up with a sports psychiatrist in London. I spoke to the sports psychiatrist for three months and I started anti-depression medication after the London Marathon.

“If you take a hay fever tablet and run off into a field where there’s grass, you’re still probably going to have hay fever, and an anti-depressant medication tablet cannot fix everything. But I had to fix a lot of things in my life that gave me a chance to be happier. Sport is really tough and there’s a lot of pressure and you can put pressure on yourself, get a bit obsessed. I tweeted not long ago: ‘Do you exist, or do you live?’

“Part of being a really good professional is there are periods of time where you have to probably just exist. That means getting up early, doing your training, sleeping, resting, focusing on all the little details, because other people will do that.

“Other people are willing to go to places where they are probably not mentally stable or happy.

“If you want to be competitive, your life might not always be in balance. But in order for me to protect the longevity of Stephen Scullion and so that Stephen Scullion’s career flourishes in three or four or five years’ time, when I can be the best possible athlete I can be, I need to move away from that existence every now and again and live.”

For Scullion, ‘living’ is going to visit his parents’ allotment in Belfast where they raise chickens and grow potatoes and onions.

“That, to me, is living,” he says.

Running-wise, Scullion is performing better since undergoing surgery to correct a breathing issue which was diagnosed as asthma 15 years ago.

A London-based specialist, Dr James Hull, suggested he had a condition called exercise-induced larynx obstructions (EILO).

“The condition means your vocal cords are working against you almost, as you breathe, closing your airways and creating the wheezing effect. Asthma is supposedly wheezing on the exhale, whereas I wheeze on the inhale.”

The surgery in London was a success. So much so that in terms of his running he feels he has been set free.

Now his focus is on the Olympic marathon in Sapporo on August 8.

(05/08/2021) Views: 915 ⚡AMP

Race against time for Irish athletes to qualify for Tokyo Olympic marathon

With spring marathons abandoned due to Covid, handful of elite races offer last chance

Aoife Cooke from Cork after winning the women’s category in the 2019 Dublin Marathon (photo).  She is targeting the elite-only Wrexham marathon in Wales on April 25th in her bid to qualify for Tokyo. 

Irish athletes are facing a race against time and opportunity in their quest to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic marathon, the worry being not just where to run, but whether that run will even happen.

With the normally busy spring marathon calendar effectively abandoned for another season due to Covid-19 – London, Boston and Paris among those postponed to the autumn – a handful of elite-only races present the last chance before the qualification cut-off date of May 31st, given the nature and distance of the event that’s fast becoming a sprint.

Three Irish men – the full quota per event – have already achieved the qualifying standard, although they are not yet officially selected. Stephen Scullion, Kevin Seaward and Paul Pollock all hit the necessary mark over a year ago, unlikely, it seems, to be ousted by a faster time at this point.

Fionnuala McCormack remains the only Irish woman qualified, in line for her fourth Olympics, after she ran 2:26.47 in the 2019 Chicago marathon. McCormack gave birth to her second daughter in December, and has now resumed full training in the build-up to Tokyo.

Two more Irish women still have Tokyo very much in mind, and are targeting the elite-only Wrexham marathon in Wales on April 25th. Aoife Cooke won the national title that came with being the top Irish woman in the 2019 Dublin Marathon, clocking a personal best of 2:32:34. That moved her from 55th to fifth on the Irish all-time list, and within touching distance of the Tokyo standard of 2:29:30, with possibility also of still qualifying via the ranking quota.

Best shot

The 34-year-old from Cork was all set to race the Vienna marathon this time last year, before that fell victim to Covid-19, and, despite the long and uncertain wait, is for now on course at least to give Tokyo her best shot in the unlikely surrounds of the seven-lap course in Wrexham.

Also running in Wrexham is Ann-Marie McGlynn, who improved her best to 2:32:54 in Dublin in 2019, and then ran 2:35:41 in Valencia last December. Mick Clohisey is also down to run in the Welsh event, the 2016 Olympic marathon representative eying the men’s standard of 2:11.30, which will require some improvement on his best of 2:13:19.

Of the three Irish men’s qualifiers already, Stephen Scullion is the fastest, thanks to the 2:09:49 he clocked at the elite-only London Marathon last October, over two minutes faster than his previous best, and 11th best in a strictly elite field of the world’s finest marathon runners.

While Scullion’s time was actually outside the Tokyo qualifying window (suspended between April 5th and November 30th, 2020), it stands as the fastest official Irish marathon. John Treacy’s Irish marathon best is still considered the 2:09:15 he ran when finishing third in Boston back in 1988, although for world record purposes Boston is considered a slightly downhill course, and therefore not deemed eligible, according to World Athletics.

Ratified

Although ratified at the time, Treacy’s only other sub-2:10 was the 2:09:56 he ran when winning silver at the LA Olympic marathon back in 1984. Scullion was just inside that in London, his 2:09:49 bettering his own 2:11:52 run in fifth place in Houston back in January (also his official Olympic qualifier by virtue of a top-five finish in a Gold Label marathon such as Houston).

Kevin Seaward put himself first in line for selection after clocking a lifetime best of 2:10.10 at the Seville marathon, in February 2020; Paul Pollock clocked his qualifier in December 2019, in the Valencia marathon, a new personal best of 2:10.25, and also inside the automatic Tokyo time.

That marathon – and race walking events – will be taking place in Sapporo, 800km north of Tokyo, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deemed the conditions there to be less gruelling come the height of the Japanese summer.

(04/02/2021) Views: 914 ⚡AMP

Stephen Scullion sets new Irish Marathon record in London Marathon

An Irish record for Stephen Scullion, an unexpected defeat for pre-race favorite Eliud Kipchoge and business as usual for Brigid Kosgei were just some of the talking points from yesterday’s very unusual London Marathon.

Run over 19 and a bit laps of St James Park, an autumn date and no spectators all marked out the 40th edition of the event as very different to the norm.

One aspect not to change was the unpredictable nature of marathon racing.

Things have been going swimmingly for Scullion over the past 12 months, apart from the occasional retirement.

A runner-up spot and Irish title at last year’s Dublin Marathon were followed by a fifth place in the Houston Marathon last January.

That qualified him for the Olympics because it was a gold standard marathon, although his time was outside the 2:11:30 qualifying standard.

As much affected by the lockdown as everyone else, the 31-year-old Belfast man set the athletics world talking with a Northern Ireland half-marathon record in Larne last month.

But surely only a few expected him to become arguably the fastest Irishman of all time with a 2:09:49 clocking for 11th in yesterday’s race.

Scullion put down a marker from early on, moving away from a group, consisting largely of British runners chasing the Olympic qualifying time and paced by Sir Mo Farah.

Instead, he ran in a small group of three, equidistant between the lead pack and Mo’s gang, for most of the way.

Whilst many faded in the rainy conditions, the Clonliffe Harrier stayed strong to complete his best-ever performance over the 26.2 mile distance.

Whilst Scullion’s time clearly displaces Kevin Seaward (2:10:09) as NI record-holder, it also eclipses John Treacy’s 2:09:56, set when winning the silver medal at the LA Olympics, as the national record.

(10/05/2020) Views: 1,199 ⚡AMP
by Malcolm McCausland

Mo Farah and Lily Partridge were the winners at Antrim Coast Half Marathon

Mo Farah takes first as Marc Scott, Ben Connor, Stephen Scullion and M60 Tommy Hughes impress, while Lily Partridge enjoys women’s win

Mo Farah was first across the line in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon on Saturday (Sept 12) in 60:31 but the most eye-catching performances came from those following in his slipstream.

Runner-up Marc Scott was close behind with 60:43 on his debut at the distance to go No.3 on the UK all-time rankings. In third, London Marathon-bound Ben Connor took 16 seconds off his PB with 60:59 to go equal fourth with Steve Jones in fourth on the UK all-time lists.

Stephen Scullion, in fourth, smashed the Northern Ireland record by a big margin with 61:12. Like Connor, the Belfast man is set to run the London Marathon on October 4 too as the popular local athlete took more than two minutes off his best.

Lily Partridge, another London Marathon-bound Olympic hope, impressed as well as she broke away from Sam Harrison to win the women’s race in a Northern Ireland all-comers’ record of 71:36 – around a minute outside her PB but 23 seconds ahead of Harrison (71:58) as Clara Evans was third 72:21 and Becky Briggs, in fourth, ran a UK under-20 record of 72:54.

Perhaps most impressive of all, though, was masters sensation Tommy Hughes, who broke Martin Rees’ world half-marathon record for an M60 with 71:09 (even quicker than the 71:26 originally publicised shortly after he finished).

An Olympian in the marathon back in 1992, the Irish runner Hughes has been on a record-breaking spree recently and continued his great form here.

Ordinarily Farah and others might have been racing in the 40th Great North Run this weekend but with the event cancelled due to coronavirus he came to Northern Ireland instead to run in an event organised by his old friend and fellow athlete from his student days, James McIlroy.

McIlroy put together a fine domestic field for the event and Farah certainly did not have it all his own way as he only broke away from the in-form Scott in the final mile.

Scott has broken the UK 5km road record this summer and took the British 5000m title last week. He was leading in the closing stages but had no answer to Farah’s breakaway surge in the final mile.

A lead quartet of Farah, Scott, Connor and Scullion broke away early and ran together for much of the distance. Behind, Kevin Seaward was fifth in 63:09 followed by Josh Griffiths (63:12), Tom Evans (63:19), Adam Craig (63:28) and Adam Hickey (64:37).

There had been talk of Farah potentially attacking his UK record of 59:32 from Lisbon in 2015 but during media interviews on Friday he said winning the race was the main goal and he did not want to underestimate his rivals and treat it as a time trial.

Runners in this elite-only event, which was sponsored by P&O Ferries, enjoyed decent weather on a picturesque course that proved a great advertisement for athletics in Northern Ireland. The only frustration for fans was the poor quality of the live stream, which made following the race difficult after organisers had, ironically, encouraged spectators to stay at home instead of supporting from the side of the road.

(09/12/2020) Views: 1,902 ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson

Irish marathon runner Stephen Scullion reconsiders rash retirement announcement

Scullion has said that he “couldn’t retire in peace” with the Tokyo Olympics on the horizon and is reconsidering his shock decision to quit the sport.

Scullion, 31, posted a short tweet last night which said: “Today was my last race, I’ve decided to retire. For reasons I’ll talk about in future.”

But the Belfast athlete clarified his intentions this afternoon and said that the announcement was “a rash decision”.

Scullion ran a personal best time of 2:11:52 to finish fifth in the Houston Marathon last January, a result that saw him achieve the 2020 Olympic qualification standard.

“Anybody who listens to [my] podcast will know it’s been an up and down experience during Covid. Last night it caught up with me that I should be in training camp in Tokyo, preparing for the Games,” Scullion explained.

“Things got a little too much for me and I made a rash decision to announce some form of retirement. Retirement isn’t that easy and I didn’t speak to anybody about it.

“I’ve found training solo tough and I’m used to training camps with coaches, physio and friends around me 24/7. The answer might be that I don’t retire but try my best to relocate to somewhere I can have that company/support.

“From the messages I’ve received it’s really lovely to hear that I’ve inspired people and you’ve enjoyed following my career until now. It’s never bloody straightforward with me and having read all the tweets and messages you’re all so right and I couldn’t retire in peace knowing how close we got to the Olympics and bigger things ahead.”

(07/20/2020) Views: 1,224 ⚡AMP

Irish marathon runner Kevin Seaward believes Olympics probably won't happen

Irish marathon runner Kevin Seaward feels there is "every likelihood" this year's Olympics will not take place because of the coronavirus crisis.

Seaward ran the distance for Ireland at the Rio Games and set a new Northern Ireland marathon record of 2:10.09 last month to seemingly book his Tokyo spot.

"The Olympics symbolize something more than a Games at the moment," he said.

"It would be a beacon of hope for people. But I honestly don't think they are going to happen."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is continuing to insist the Games could still begin on 24 July despite the pandemic but several high profile athletes including British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson have criticized this stance.

World champion Johnson-Thompson says training has become "impossible" because of the restrictions around coronavirus and has had to move back home from her normal base in France after the country was put on lockdown.

As a distance runner who does most of his workouts alone and rarely uses a track, Seaward says his training is not being hindered to the same extent as the Englishwoman, but nevertheless feels the IOC will have to at least move the Games to a later date if not cancel altogether.

Seaward, 36, is an assistant head teacher at a Leicestershire secondary school and has been working flat out with his colleagues to make arrangements for the children of key workers who will remain in school in the coming weeks after the British Government's school closures announcement on Wednesday.

"It's challenging times. School has been pretty crazy the last three or four days but we've got a little bit of clarity now," the Northern Irishman told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"You don't know that the Olympics are going to happen. I've come to the conclusion that there's every likelihood of them not happening. We've certainly got bigger things to worry about globally at the minute."

Seaward believes the postponement and cancellation of numerous Olympic qualifiers and other events which would have offered the opportunity to book Tokyo berths is another reason why the Games are unlikely to happen - certainly in the summer.

"I read an article today where Seb Coe said it was too early to make a decision (on the Games) and I kind of agree it's too early to definitively say yes or no.

"Aside from the fact that what we're experiencing now may not have cleared by then, people still have to qualify. There's a lot of thought that would have to go into making the process fair for everyone.

"From a marathoner's perspective, we have three Irish qualifiers (Seaward, Paul Pollock and Stephen Scullion) but we also know there are multiple other guys (Sean Tobin, Hugh Armstrong and Mick Clohisey) who were training hard and who were determined to give it a go to qualify but their marathons were cancelled."

(03/20/2020) Views: 1,413 ⚡AMP
by John Haughey

Kevin Seaward clocked a lifetime best and became the second-fasted Irish marathon runner of all time in the process at the Seville Marathon on Sunday

Belfast man Kevin Seaward, a school teacher, ran the second-fastest Irish marathon time ever as he finished 26th at the Seville Marathon on Sunday morning.

Belfast’s Seaward ran a PB of 2:10:10 – second only to John Treacy’s national record of 2:09:15.

Seaward’s time was more than three minutes quicker than his previous best of 2:13:39, which he ran in Berlin last September.

Only John Treacy, in 1988, has ran a faster Marathon time for Ireland than Seaward while the 36-year-old now becomes the fastest Northern Ireland marathon man of all time. 

It is also comfortably inside the IAAF time of 2:11:30 for Tokyo 2020 qualification as he becomes the third Irish marathon runner to achieve the Olympic criteria.

The 34-year-old joins Paul Pollock, who ran a 2:10:25 in Valencia in December, and Stephen Scullion who is eligible by virtue of his fifth-place finish at the “gold label” Houston Marathon where he ran a time of 2:11:52.

Ballina’s Hugh Armstrong missed out on the Olympic time by less than a minute this morning, finishing 35th in a personal best of 2:12:26.

Seaward joins Paul Pollock and Stephen Scullion as Tokyo 2020 qualifiers.

(02/24/2020) Views: 1,459 ⚡AMP
by Niall Kelly

Irish runner Stephen Scullion has qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games after he finished 5th in the Houston Marathon

Scullion recorded a time of 2:11:52. This in fact beat his personal best by over 9 seconds.

The Belfast’s man time was just 22 seconds outside automatic qualification. However, he still secured his passage to the Olympics after he secured a top five finish in a gold label race.

Things have got better and better for Scullion after struggling in Doha. He finished second in the Dublin marathon behind Morocco athlete Othmane El Goumri. He ran a personal best then at a time of 2:12:01. However, his run in Texas on Sunday even bettered that.

It will be a first Olympic appearance for the 31 year old and he is fully deserving of it. In fact, it makes it even better considering he retired from athletics when he was in his 20’s.

However, he has been committed to the cause for the past five years and he is a prime example of hard work pays off in the end.

It’s absolutely magnificent to see an Irish athlete reach his potential and getting a shot to show his potential once again on the World stage at the Olympic Games. One thing is for sure he will knuckle down now and train even harder to get himself right and hopefully he can take home a medal for us to celebrate this summer.

(01/21/2020) Views: 1,428 ⚡AMP
by Anthony Redmond

New team in town: Under Armour runs into Flagstaff

Living here, up where the air is rare and trails snake through mountains and traverse verdant valleys, means that you are as liable to see as many elite runners donning corporate-logoed singlets and compression socks around town as you are to spot locals wearing fleece and Birkenstock's.

Yeah, ho-hum, that’s Mo Farah doing squats at your gym. And isn’t that Sara Hall pounding out miles of the FUTS, and Edward Cheserek reeling off sub-50-second 400s at the end of a workout on NAU’s track? Then there’s that thundering herd of Hoka NAZ Elite runners, always striding down Lake Mary Road like so many sleek big cats roaming the savanna.

Flagstaff’s stable of professional runners, some full-time residents but many parachuting in for elevation training, now has grown even more robust — and not just because it soon will be an Olympic year. There’s a new team in town, a corporate-sponsored training group that is fast filling its ranks with numbers challenging NAZ Elite’s civic running hegemony.

The as-yet unnamed group — expect an official "branding" sometime soon — is funded and sponsored by the apparel and shoe company Under Armour. It is headed not by interlopers, but by two track and field veterans who have histories in Flagstaff.

Noted running agent Stephen Haas, who also coaches the likes of 17-time NCAA champ Cheserek, is the driving force behind the team’s formation. He’s been a Flagstaff regular for nearly a decade, first as a distance runner who came here to train, then as a sort of Sherpa for athletes represented by his agency, Total Sports US, and later for several years as executive director of Team Run Flagstaff.

Now Haas has ascended to running his own training group, under Under Armour’s auspices, while still looking after the approximately 45 athletes he represents worldwide, some of whom swoop in here for high-altitude camps and some, like Cheserek, who make Flagstaff home.

Haas is aided in this new venture by former UC Berkeley cross country and track coach Shayla Houlihan, who left Cal after seven seasons last spring. Houlihan, too, has a Flagstaff connection, having trained here earlier in the decade as a pro steeplechaser and then working for two years as a Team Run Flagstaff coach.

So, it’s something of a homecoming for the pair, though you will see a few new faces on the roads, trails and track no doubt wearing the UA logo. They include 2018 NCAA 10,000-meter champion Sharon Lokedi, 5,000-meter elite Rachael Schneider, miler Patrick Casey, 800-meter runner Baylee Mires, Irish marathoner Stephen Scullion and two promising middle-distance recruits fresh out of college, Blake Haney (Oregon) and Taryn Rawlings (Portland).

This new team, perhaps not yet boasting the championship pedigree of NAZ Elite, raises two questions: Is this town big enough for two year-round sponsored training groups, and, is Flagstaff reaching a saturation point when it comes to infrastructure for so many elite runners hitting town to train?

Haas doesn’t hesitate in answering.

“No,” he said. “The five minutes that we cross over in the gym with NAZ Elite is the only time we see NAZ Elite. We’re more track-based, so we’re on the track more than them. They’re on the road more than us. For whatever reason, we have different schedules.

“People ask me this all the time. Yes, there’s a lot of athletes who come to Flag, but if you’re not making the effort to connect with people, well, this is a place where you can be lost in the woods every day. You need to make connections.”

As a former elite runner and now agent, Haas is all about networking and building relationships. His career as an agent soared after being named Total Sports US’s client services coordinator. His stable of athletes include notable pros such as Cheserek, Olympians Shelby Houlihan (Shayla’s younger sister) and Hassan Mead, Olympic silver medalist Sally Kipyego and Rachel Cliff, Canada’s marathon and half-marathon record holder. Just recently, he has signed four-time NCAA champ Morgan McDonald and three-time NCAA titlist Jessica Hull, both Aussies, in addition to two-time NCAA 1,500-meter runner-up Justine Kiprotich, who runs for Hoka (though not NAZ Elite) and trains in Flagstaff.

Perhaps more important, at least to the success of the new team sponsored by Under Armour, is Haas’ connections in Flagstaff.

In his days as a distance runner, Haas shared a house with NAU cross country and track coach Michael Smith and the two remain friends. His tenure as executive director of Team Run Flagstaff, in Haas’ words, “gave me a community of people, friends, right away, a social circle.” His duties with TRF dealt with a lot of financial issues, such as gaining sponsorship, but he left the organization because his career as an agent and burgeoning coach was ascending.

“Team Run Flagstaff was great, but it wasn’t a great fit for me,” he said. “I liked more of the elite side of the running world.”

Even before heading TRF, Haas was spending enough time in Flagstaff to be considered a regular in the running community. Total Sports US eventually tasked him to make Flagstaff his home base, because “it seemed a lot of the work we were doing was helping athletes get settled in Flagstaff, get housing, get track access and physio (therapy).

Now that his role has widened, Haas finds himself in a potentially conflicting position. Unlike other top agents in the U.S. — say, Ray Flynn, Hawi Keflezighi or Josh Cox — who solely represent athletes, Haas is negotiating deals for clients with companies sponsoring teams that are direct competitors to the newly-formed Under Armour group.

“Now I’m dual recruiting for the agency, obviously, but also for the group, too,” he said. “It’s a unique situation. We could be interested in a (graduating college) kid who signs with another agency and that’s OK, too. It’s nice to have Shayla here because we can kind of separate a little bit. She can focus on recruiting for the group, and I can focus on recruiting for the agency. That gives the athlete a little more clarity as well. But I’m not closed off …I can work alongside as a coach (with) another agent that represents a kid that I want to recruit. I guess it could be counter-intuitive for the group, but my first and foremost job for any athlete we sign to Total Sports is to try to get them the best contract as possible. Justine is a perfect example.”

Kiprotich, who lost the NCAA 1,500-meter title last year by one one-thousands of a second, is a Haas client. Haas was negotiating an endorsement deal with Under Armour, the sponsor of the new Flagstaff team, for Kiprotich. But Hoka came in with a better offer and he signed with that brand. But instead of joining NAZ Elite or other Hoka teams, Kiprotich was allowed to move to Flagstaff and train under Haas.

“We’re lucky enough that Under Armour still allowed him to come here and train with us,” Haas said.

There’s a similar situation concerning Cheserek, who signed with Skechers. He trains in Flagstaff and jumps in occasionally to work out with the Under Armour athletes as well as other elites who hit town.

Houlihan’s role with the new training group is essential, Haas said, especially since he travels more than 200 days a year. Though a veteran Division 1 coach of both men and women, Houlihan is trying something new coaching pros. Then again, many of the athletes signed by Under Armour are in the early stages of their professional careers.

(01/05/2020) Views: 1,594 ⚡AMP

Irish Marathon runner Paul Pollock run his personal best at the Valencia Marathon, 2:10:25 securing the automatic qualifying time for next year’s Tokyo Olympic marathon

It was an improvement of over five minutes on Pollock’s previous best and also moves the Belfast runner to number two on the Irish all-time list behind John Treacy’s 2:09.15 set 31 years ago in Boston, and moving Mark Carroll into third with his 2:10.52 run in New York in 2002. Pollock finished in 20th position in Valencia.

The 33-year-old also qualified for the Rio Olympic marathon in 2015, and has been one of Ireland’s top performers on the road in recent years, his previous best being 2:15.30. A qualified doctor, he has also endured his share of injuries in recent years and as recently as September was out with a broken metatarsal.

Pollock also becomes the first Irish men’s qualifier in the marathon for Tokyo; Fionnuala McCormack becoming the first Irish woman to qualify in Chicago in October. Fellow Belfast runner Stephen Scullion is also eyeing up the Tokyo standard of 2:11.30, eyeing up the Houston marathon next month.

Interestingly Pollock was also wearing the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Next Percent, the running shoes that have courted some controversy for the series of faster marathon times this year.

Also running in Valencia over the 10km, Joshua Cheptegei smashed the world record in that distance, clocking 26.38. The Ugandan clipped six seconds from the previous record of 26.44 set by Kenya’s Patrick Komon in 2010 to complete a sensational 2019 hat-trick that included world titles in cross-country and 10,000m on the track.

Running on his own over the entire second half, a determined Cheptegei reached 6km in 16.02 and 7km in 18.42. Cheptegei forged on, reaching 8km in 21.37, when it became clear that the world record was within reach.

With 23.59 on the clock at the 9km point, Cheptegei needed to cover the final kilometer in 2.45, a close well within his capabilities.

“World cross champion in Denmark, 10,000m world champion in Doha and now the world record here in Valencia. What a year it has been,” the 23-year-old said. “I can’t believe it. I knew that Valencia was going to be a really fast course, one of the fastest in the world. So to get to achieve what we came here for is something really special.”

(12/02/2019) Views: 2,400 ⚡AMP
by lan O'Riordan

Morocco's Othmane El Goumri wins the 40th Dublin Marathon

The 40th Dublin Marathon has been won by EI Goumri of Morocco.

He took the title in a new course record of 2:08:04 on Sunday. This compares to last year's win - set by Asefa Bekele from Ethiopia - of 2:13:23.

El Goumri ran a personal best of 2:08:20 at the 2019 Rabat Marathon, where he finished second.

Ireland's Stephen Scullion took second place, with a time of 2:12:01.

Patrick Monahan claimed the wheelchair title in 1:39:50. And Moth Gedefa took home the women's title in a time of 2:27:48.

A record 22,500 runners took part in the cross-city event. International elite runners competed against Ireland's top endurance athletes. Irish athletes also battled it out for national titles.

Meanwhile, 13 runners who have taken part in all 39 Dublin Marathons since the race began in 1979 completed their 40th this year.

This group included Mary Nolan Hickey from Wicklow - the only woman to have finished all of the marathons.

There were also rolling road closures around the city as a result, as well as some public transport diversions. Transport for Ireland (TFI) said its real-time information would not be in operation during the race.

Aidan Power is director of customer, brand and marketing at KBC. He said: "This year, the KBC Dublin Marathon is celebrating 40 years and we are honoured to be part of history in the making.

"Yes, a marathon is about running 26.2 miles, however, the Dublin Marathon represents so much more than that.

"It is about community spirit, bringing together runners, supporters, family members, volunteers and of course, fans, every October.

"In 1980, 2,100 took part in the first ever Dublin Marathon, this year, a record 22,500 runners will be at the startling line.

"As sponsor, we are immensely proud to be associated with such a special event and we would like to wish all of those running, the very best of luck."

(10/28/2019) Views: 1,512 ⚡AMP
by Jack Quann

Irish Stephen Scullion is targeting for marathon in Doha after Santry success

It wasn’t unbearably humid, or midnight for that matter, but winning the National 10,000 metres title has further convinced Stephen Scullion to run the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

After safely defending his title – in the pleasant Santry sunshine and temperature of 20 degrees – Scullion promptly outlined why he was willing to tackle the 26.2-mile distance in Doha, when many other runners have already decided against it.

The championships take place from September 27th to October 6th, the men’s marathon set for the final day, starting at midnight to offer some relief from the typically searing heat and crippling humidity. It averages 35 degrees in Doha in October, with 85 per cent humidity.

“It was actually a little warmer out there than I thought,” said Scullion, who took the win in 29:36.33, the south Belfast native now running with Dublin club Clonliffe Harriers.

“Obviously it will be a lot warmer in Doha, and it was tough to decide between the World Championships and a fast marathon like Berlin. I could have looked at Dublin in October as well. But I keep talking to my coach, and really believe I can come top-10 in Doha, if I prepare well. I’ve been back and forward on it, but it’s the World Championships, and you’re selected to run for your country, how can you turn that down?

“I’ve trained in humidity, and it is unpredictable, if a thunderstorm rolls in, it can bounce around. It being midnight there won’t be any sun either. I know as well if you break 2:25 in Doha, it mightn’t be a bad day. It mightn’t be a great day, but because it will be tough.

“I just have a feeling, in Doha, if you f-it up, there’s no going back, and a lot of people will think it’s easy, and start going backwards. You will have to train differently, in the heat, and not super fast. It’s about running fast in the heat and humidity.”

Scullion, now 30, ran a personal best of 2:14.34 in Houston in January, the fastest marathon by any Irish man since 2011, and Doha also offers the chance to qualify for next summer’s Tokyo Olympics, the top 10 assured of selection.

(07/31/2019) Views: 1,773 ⚡AMP
by Ian O’Riordan

Ireland's team is set to run the World Half Marathon Championships

Paul Pollock and Kevin Seaward are among five Northern Ireland athletes named for the Ireland team for this month's World Half Marathon Championships. They will be joined by Stephen Scullion in the men's race in Valencia with Fionnuala Ross and Laura Graham both in the women's event. "This is perfect timing with regards to the Commonwealth Games," said Pollock. The Holywood man finished a superb 14th at the World Half in Cardiff in 2016. "When I looked ahead before last Christmas, the World Half was definitely a goal," added the 31-year-old medical doctor. "I know some of Northern Ireland's athletes will go out to Australia the week before then but I was really pleased Athletics NI recognised that it would be really beneficial for Kevin and me to go to Valencia." (03/08/2018) Views: 1,903 ⚡AMP

Scullion records new personal best standard in USA

Northern Ireland’s Stephen Scullion (Clonliffe Harriers) slashed well over one minute off his previous personal best when recording an excellent 1:03:16 for 29th place at the Houston Half Marathon in America today (Sunday 14th January 2018). Stephen’s new personal best is well inside Athletics Ireland’s qualifying standard of 1:05:00 for this year’s World Half Marathon Championships in Spain. The race was won by Jake Robertson (New Zealand) in 1:00:01 (1st place). (01/15/2018) Views: 1,538 ⚡AMP