CIARA Cunningham has been crowned Ulster Novice Cross Country champion days after crossing the line in second place at the race in Stranorlar.
Amy Greene has been stripped of the title after officials found her to be in breach of the strict rules which govern Novice competitions in Northern Ireland and Ulster.
The Tír Chonnaill athlete will now be awarded the gold medal while Omagh Harrier Ella Quinn is elevated to second and Annadale Strider Catriona Edington takes the individual bronze medal.
Magherafelt club Tafelta remain team winners, but Coalisland outfit Keep ‘Er Lit move up to the runners-up spot after originally being edged out of the silver medal position on countback by host club Finn Valley after the two had tied on equal points. Rosses can also expect to receive the team bronze medals soon after initially finishing fourth in the team listings.
Among the entry conditions for the Novice is that the athlete must not be: “An Individual medal winner at AAI or NI & Ulster in any track (indoor or outdoor) or road championship event at 1500m and upwards in Senior competitions.”
Greene was disqualified because she was winner of the NI & Ulster Senior 3000m steeplechase title in 2022. It can be safely assumed that Greene herself will not have been familiar with the complex rules of eligibility for the grade.
The disqualification should not detract from a great year to date for the Rosses native. Last month she finished sixth at the Belfast International Cross Country (second home-based) and before that was the runaway winner of the Donegal Novice Championship in Carndonagh. She is likely now to lose that title too.
Earlier in the year, Greene was victorious in the National Junior Women’s Steeplechase in Tullamore and in March helped DCU to team gold at the Irish Universities Cross Country Championships in Limerick. She was also a member of the Finn Valley AC junior team that finished eighth at the European Club Cross Country Championships (ECCC) in Oropesa del Mar, Spain.
Meanwhile, tomorrow Sperrin Harriers host the opening fixture of their highly successful Winter League with a 10K contest at Davagh Forest near Cookstown. Other fixtures follow with a 5K at Lough Fea in two weeks, a five miler at An Créagan, near Greencastle, on January 13, concluding at Drum Manor, Cookstown on February 3.
Entrants must be aged 15 or above on the day of the first race although an exception is made for the Lough Fea race where anyone over 11 may take part.
The scoring system remains the same as previous series and ensures that as many entrants as possible remain in contention until all four races are completed.
Whilst it is only necessary to complete three races for league prizes, the scoring system is weighted to give those who complete all four races a small competitive edge in that they have the option to use only their best three scores.
The organisers also advise that ordinary road running trainers are suitable for all the races but recommend wearing shoes that give sufficient stability and grip as some of the trails can be uneven with loose or soft surfaces.
One regular sadly missing from the start line tomorrow will be Jim Breen who passed away suddenly in September at his daughter’s house in Birkenhead. He had completed the Waterside Half Marathon in Derry just a few days earlier.
The Springwell runner, who was in his late sixties, was an avid parkrunner taking part in events around his home in Maghera.
A 2:54 marathoner at his best, he also frequently picked up age group prizes in road and cross country events across the north.
The retired DAERA veterinary surgeon is survived by his wife Josephine, sons Conor and Gavin as well as daughters Emer Burton and Karen McLarnon. He was also the devoted grandfather of Katie, Eva, Isla, Aoife and Seamus. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam agus fós ag rith ar neamh.
