KYLE Doherty will have expended more energy on Sunday morning training runs than he did in defending his title at Sunday’s Waterside Half Marathon in Derry.
Doherty was in charge from the gun and had over two minutes to spare coming home in 71 minutes and 20 seconds.
That included a fleeting cameo in his home village Strathfoyle on the northern extreme of the new Waterside route.
Allan Bogle made it a Spartan one-two with a 73:21 timing, while arch-rivals Foyle Valley filled the next three places through Gary Slevin (74:12), winner of the Donegal Half Marathon just seven days earlier, Chris McGuinness (75:21) and Jamie Westerman (75:31).
North Belfast Harrier Ryan Moore (76:05) completed the top half-dozen.
Judith Storm made it a Spartan double with a convincing victory in the women’s race, recording an impressive time of 72:38 despite also running a half marathon just a week earlier, in her case Larne.
Inishowen’s Kirsty Doherty (91:13) filled the runner-up spot, while Lifford-Strabane’s Linda McGrath (93:50). Samantha Bann (94:39), Ciara McSherry (96:29) and Portadown Running Club’s Rachel Craig (98:44) made it the leading six female finishers.
Jayne Bleakley was the leading wheelchair competitor finishing in 87:25.
Click here for full results -Waterside Half Marathon Results
https://myrunresults.com/events/waterside_half_marathon_2023/4895/results
