Historic day as Mayo club runners strike gold at National Cross Country Championships

MAYO club athletes had stunning success at the National Cross County Championships in Fermanagh on Sunday. Three gold medals, two silvers and a bronze came back to the county at the end of a stunning day of running.

Keelan Kilrehill (pictured on front), a Sligo native running for Moy Valley AC made history when he became the first man from a Connacht club in 111 years to capture the senior title when he finished a huge 28 seconds ahead of the field at the Castle Irvine Estate in Fermanagh.

“I felt like I was so concentrated and ready for it and I said ‘Why not me? Why not have a go at this?’

“I ran with so much confidence, I was so proud of the way I ran it. It’s that one title I can’t finish athletics without, the one I’ve dreamt of and to win it like that, it’s unreal,” said Kilrehill (24).

It was a stellar day for Moy Valley AC with Grace Tighe (pictured on front) winning the U-12 Girls 2,000m title ahead of Grace Foley from Sligo AC and Fianaith King from Dunleer. The continued rise of the Renton twins from Westport continued with Freya (pictured on front) winning the U-16 Girls 4,000m ahead of her sister Holly with Madison Welby from City of Lisburn AC in third place.

Rory Gruddy of Swinford AC ran brilliantly to secure a bronze medal in the U-14 Boys 3,000m behind Darragh Whelan from Limerick and Eoghan Looney of Blarney/Inniscara AC

In the U-12 Boys 2,000m Philip Griffith ran an exceptional race to claim the silver medal behind Ronan Geaney of St Catherine's AC while Harry McVeigh of Newcastle and District AC had to be happy with third place.