The 2024 Peugeot Race Series kicked off with a bang in Portlaoise on St Patrick’s Day, when over 1,000 participants took to the streets for the annual Streets of Portlaoise 5k road race, hosted by Portlaoise AC.
The event has become a firm favourite with runners right across the country, with a fast finish on the main street where supporters came in their thousands to watch the action unfold. And while this was the start of the 2024 series, there were some familiar faces at the business end of proceedings in both the mens and womens races. The race winner was a new name to the Portlaoise roll of honour though, as Dublin City Harriers athlete Pierre Murchin controlled the race from the gun to win in a time of 14:24, just 10s outside the course record, an extraordinary fat in itself given the blustery conditions on the middle section of the course. Murchin led a group for 4 (Emmett Jennings, Eoin Everard and Declan O Meara) through the first km, before gradually extending his lead. At the 4km mark, there was daylight between himself and DSD man Jennings, and this was how it finished, with Jennings in second and Kilkenny City Harrier Eoin Everard in 3rd.
On the womens side, Ann Marie McGlynn justified her pre-race favourite tag, again controlling the race from early on. She led through the first km with DSD’s Grace Lynch and Leevales Hannah Steeds in close pursuit. But like Murchin, McGlynn edged away and had a gap of 10s over Lynch by the time they hit the 4th kilomoter. The Letterkenny AC athlete took the win in a time of 16:19 ahead of Grace Lynch of DSD in second and Cliona Murphy of Dublin City Harriers in third.
The Peugeot Race Series team leaderboard also has a familiar leader, with Dundrum South Dublin taking the honours there ahead of a strong Dublin City Harriers team in second and local club St Abbans in 3rd. A long way to go in this one, but already it’s looking like a fascinating duel will unfold between the two Dublin clubs.
The next round of the race series takes place at the sold out Streets of Kilkenny 5km on Thursday, March 28th at 7:30pm
FULL RESULTS: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/streets-of-portlaoise-2024/
PHOTOS: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.422333266979751&type=3
PEUGEOT RACE SERIES INFO: https://www.popupraces.ie/peugeot-race-series-2024/
