Dublin Clubs Roundup, 12 - 16 November 2025
LAADJEL MAKES NCAA FINALS
Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers) came sixth in the NCAA Div 1 West Regional Cross-Country in Sacramento on Friday (November 14) leading his college team, the Oregon Ducks to victory and qualifying for next Saturday’s NCAA Cross-Country finals. Laadjel, running for the Oregon University Ducks, was always close to the front with with 800m to go moved from twelfth to sixth position to finish in a time of 29.28.2 for the tough 10km race. Unfortunately, Laadjel will miss the National Cross-Country Championships next Sunday.
In France, Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harries) finished eighth with a time of 28 mins 11 secs at the Urban on Saturday (November 15). The race was won by the Kenyan John Lomoni Aimun in 27:13.
MUDDY MARVELS: IRISH MASTERS LOSE OUT TO ENGLAND
A strong English team was back in control at the annual British and Irish Masters International Cross-Country held in wet muddy conditions over a strength-sapping hilly course in Roundhay Park, Leeds on Saturday (November 15), Ireland broke England’s dominance in 2022 when the race was held in Ireland and won again last year, when the race was held in Belfast. This year there was no stopping the English, although an Irish team of over eighty still picked up a few medals. Of the Dublin-based team members Annette Kealy (Raheny Shamrock AC), a five times overall winner of the race, finished second W55. Other Dublin club members in action included Rachel Murphy (Plant Based AC), W40, Caoimhe Kilroy (Metro St Brigid’s AC) W45, Sheelagh Jones (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) and Grainne Grennan (Blackrock AC) W65; Mary Lynch (Raheny Shamrock AC) W70, Eileen O’Brien (Lucan Harriers) and June Comiskey (Raheny Shamrock AC) W75; David Power (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M40, Paul Fleming (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M50 and Sean McCreery (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M60. A W75 team category was included in the championships for the first time, with Ireland the winners. The Irish W60 and W70 teams also came out on top. The British and Irish Masters International returns to Ireland next year.
ROADS: KIPLAGAT WINS IN DONABATE
Malcolm Kiplagat (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner of the LSA Peninsula 4-mile in Donabate, Co Dublin on Sunday (November 16) with a time of 20 mins 14 secs. Just three seconds adrift for second place in 20:17 was Adam Foy (Donore Harriers) while third in 21.00 was Dave Rooney (Raheny Shamrock AC). First woman was Kate Crowley (Raheny Shamrock) 22:41. Sinead Farrell of host club LSA AC was second in 23:51 and Cindy Hickey (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 25:43.
Also on Sunday, Adam Nason (Donore Harriers) proved the class of the field at the Stook 10-Mile in the rolling hills of Dungarvan, in Gowran, Co Kilkenny. Nason won by almost four minutes in a time of 54:33. All finishers in this unique race received a cow bell! A group from Ballymun AC had travelled to Gowran, with Dean Hayden fourth in the 10km with a time of 39:01 and Ashley Carroll and Michelle Bennett coming home together in 54:34 and finishing joint fifth of the women.
Finally, in Co Kerry, ultra runner Sean Meehan of Cherry Orchard Running club won the Gap of Dungloe Marathon. Philip Slattery, also Cherry Orchard RC finished third.
DCU WOMEN TAKE ROAD RELAY TITLE
DCU’s A team won the women’s title at the Irish Universities Road Relay Championships, hosted by NUI Maynooth on Saturday (November 15). Faye Dervan (DCH) ran the second leg in the 1x2x2x1 mile race for the team. The total time was 34 mins 5 secs. Early leaders, UCC, led by Eimear Maher of Dundrum South Dublin AC were second in 34:41 and UCD A third in 35:03 with Sadhbh Mohan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) and Fiona Hawkins (DCH AC) running the first and second legs. ,
DCU just edged out UCD to finished third in the men’s race with a second between the o teams. DCU finished in 46:01 and UCD in 46:02 for the 1x2x3x2x1 mile race. Clear winners of the race were University of Limerick, with University of Galway second. Queen’s University Belfast finished fifth, with Louie Woodger ( Metro St Brigid’s AC) running the opening mile leg.
Captions:
Abdel Laadjel and his Oregon team mates who have qualified for the NCAA finals.
British and Irish Masters: Three happy members of Rathfarnham WSAF
LSA 4-Mile: Tom Griffin (Clonliffe Harriers)
LSA 4-Mile: The start line with eventual winner Malcolm Kiplagat (Clonliffe Harriers) (No 5748) checking his watch.
LSA 4-Mile: Niamh O’Malley (Raheny Shamrock AC)
