04-04-2014, 04:13 PM
Fionnual Britton, European cross country champion in 2011 and 2012, takes on her successor in 2013, Sophie Duarte of France in what promises to be an intriguing battle on Sunday. The two go head to head in the SPAR Great Ireland Run over 10k on the roads of the Phoenix Park.
Britton and Duarte both plan to run 10,000 metres on the track at the European Championships in Zurich in August. A hard run over the distance against each other will tell both where their training stands. Duarte ran an impressive 31 minutes 53 seconds for the distance at a 10k in Auch, France on 16 March. On the same day, Britton ran 15:33 in Dublin to win the St Patrickââ¬â¢s 5k Festival Race.
The pair will be challenged strongly by Helen Clitheroe of Great Britain, the 2011 European Indoor 3,000 metre champion, Allesandra Aguilar of Spain, fifth in last yearââ¬â¢s World Championships marathon, and Diana Martin of Spain who has a best of 32:32 for 10k on the road.
The national 10k championships are also part of the SPAR Great Ireland Run and Ciara Durkin of Skerries along with Teresa McGloin will head up the domestic field beside Britton.
In the menââ¬â¢s race, Japheth Korir the 2013 World cross country champion makes his first visit to Dublin and will start as favourite in the menââ¬â¢s race with a personal best time of 27:52 for 10k.
His main challengers will be 2013 European cross country bronze medallist Andy Vernon from Great Britain, Australian Olympic marathoner Michael Shelley, Javier Guerra from Spain, Abdellatif Meftah from France and Scott Bauhs from the USA.
The Irish elite men will be led by Mark Hanrahan of Leevale, national cross country champion Mick Clohisey from Raheny and Dublin Marathon champion Sean Hehir.
Before the 10k Run starts, a menââ¬â¢s elite mile will go up and down Chesterfield Avenue (the main road) in the Phoenix Park. Defending champion Paul Robinson from St Cocaââ¬â¢s in Kildare returns to face up to 3:52 British miler Ross Murray, and his compatriots James Brewer and Ross Millington who are 3:54 and 3:59 milers. The Irish favourites will include national indoor 800 metre champion Niall Tuohy of Ferrybank, last yearââ¬â¢s runner-up Eoin Everard from Kilkenny and national indoor 1500 metre champion John Coghlan from Metro St Brigidââ¬â¢s.
The mile gets under way at 12:20, the elite womenââ¬â¢s race at 13:10 and the SPAR Great Ireland Run starts at 13:30.
Britton and Duarte both plan to run 10,000 metres on the track at the European Championships in Zurich in August. A hard run over the distance against each other will tell both where their training stands. Duarte ran an impressive 31 minutes 53 seconds for the distance at a 10k in Auch, France on 16 March. On the same day, Britton ran 15:33 in Dublin to win the St Patrickââ¬â¢s 5k Festival Race.
The pair will be challenged strongly by Helen Clitheroe of Great Britain, the 2011 European Indoor 3,000 metre champion, Allesandra Aguilar of Spain, fifth in last yearââ¬â¢s World Championships marathon, and Diana Martin of Spain who has a best of 32:32 for 10k on the road.
The national 10k championships are also part of the SPAR Great Ireland Run and Ciara Durkin of Skerries along with Teresa McGloin will head up the domestic field beside Britton.
In the menââ¬â¢s race, Japheth Korir the 2013 World cross country champion makes his first visit to Dublin and will start as favourite in the menââ¬â¢s race with a personal best time of 27:52 for 10k.
His main challengers will be 2013 European cross country bronze medallist Andy Vernon from Great Britain, Australian Olympic marathoner Michael Shelley, Javier Guerra from Spain, Abdellatif Meftah from France and Scott Bauhs from the USA.
The Irish elite men will be led by Mark Hanrahan of Leevale, national cross country champion Mick Clohisey from Raheny and Dublin Marathon champion Sean Hehir.
Before the 10k Run starts, a menââ¬â¢s elite mile will go up and down Chesterfield Avenue (the main road) in the Phoenix Park. Defending champion Paul Robinson from St Cocaââ¬â¢s in Kildare returns to face up to 3:52 British miler Ross Murray, and his compatriots James Brewer and Ross Millington who are 3:54 and 3:59 milers. The Irish favourites will include national indoor 800 metre champion Niall Tuohy of Ferrybank, last yearââ¬â¢s runner-up Eoin Everard from Kilkenny and national indoor 1500 metre champion John Coghlan from Metro St Brigidââ¬â¢s.
The mile gets under way at 12:20, the elite womenââ¬â¢s race at 13:10 and the SPAR Great Ireland Run starts at 13:30.