On a day where Niamh Moore (Leevale AC) and Killian Mooney (DSD AC) picked up the Peugeot Race Series (Series 2) wins, and with it the top prize of €1,500 each courtesy of Peugeot Ireland, it was An Riocht athlete Shona Heaslip that stole the show on a memorable day of racing at the Charleville Half Marathon, which also incorporated the National Half Marathon Championship for 2024.
With National Medals, Peugeot Race series titles and course record bonus’s on the line, a high class field assembled in North Cork for this years race, hosted by the excellent team at North Cork AC.
In the early stages of the race, it was Hugh Armstrong, Ryan Creech, Eoghan Totten and John Travers pushing the pace, and by the 10k mark in Killmallock, reached in 30mins flat, that group had largely stayed together. However, the decisive move was to come soon after, when Armstrong increased the pace to break away and establish a small lead which he ultimately never surrendered. In the end, the Ballina AC man, who trains with the Dublin Track Club group, crossed the finish line as National Half Marathon Champion for 2024 in a time of 1:04:35. 19s clear of Leevales Creech in 2nd, with Eoghan Totten of Newcastle and District completing the podium.
The womens race was a more clear cut affair from the off and was a race that Shona Heaslip dominated from the gun. The An Riocht AC athlete went through 5km in 16:18, almost a minute clear of DSD’s Grace Lynch in 2nd with Ciara Wilson of DMPAC a further 30s back in 3rd. The top 3 didn’t change at the finish line either, with Heaslip smashing the course record on the day, running 1:10:57 to claim the National Title and a course record bonus also.
The Peugeot Race series for 2024 came to a conclusion in Charleville too, and impressive runs by Killian Mooney and Niamh Moore secured them both top prizes for the second part of this years series.
Many thanks to all who supported the series this year, we look forward to coming back bigger and better in 2025!
Results from Charleville: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/charleville-international-half-marathon-2024/
Photos (Sweaty Snaps): https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=SweatySnaps&set=a.532895389256871
