More gold for Freya Renton as Mayo athletes excel

Freya Renton continues to write her name in lights.

The Westport AC runner surged across the finish line to win the U-17 Girls 4500m at the National Novice and Juvenile Uneven Age Cross Country Championships in Abbotstown.

Renton is undoubtedly the top middle-distance athlete in her age-group and on Sunsay she underlined her potential with a gritty display in difficult running conditions.

Freya was just one of many Mayo athletes who ran to success over the weekend at home and abroad.

On Saturday, Hugh Armstrong from Ballina AC finished second in a fast time in the Jingle Bells 5k in Phoenix Park Dublin.

He was just a second behind the winner Kevin McGrath of Bohermeen AC. Ballina native Mark Naylor Liffey Valley AC finished in 38th place.

The Mayo County U-13 boys team won silver in Sunday's cross-country championships in Abbotstown.

The team was led by Philip Griffiths of Claremorris AC who won silver in the individual race, the six-member team finished behind winners, Cork, with Dublin third.

Mary Browne of Mayo AC ran a fine time on Sunday in sweltering conditions in the Lanzarote half-marathon.

On the same day, Michael Rocke running for Mayo AC, had a superb run in the Maratón Valencia in Spain finishing in 2:50.37. He passed halfway in 1:25.02 in an excellent even paced performance averaging 6:31 per mile.

It was a brilliant new PB for the Castlebar-based runner. Michael has run excellent times across a range of distances from 5k to marathon. He ran 2:53 in Boston Marathon in 2022, and 2:55.56 in Dublin in 2023.