Colette makes a winning start to New Year

Westport Resolution 5k  l-r Aoibhe Richardson 2nd, Colette Tuohy 1st, Alan Murphy – Hastings Insurance (Sponsors), Niamh Richardson 3rd

The New Year came in as 2015 went out – wet, windy, and much colder than of late. Mayo AC’s Colette Tuohy finished 2015 with a win at Manulla 4 on St Stephen’s Day and started 2016 with a victory –  first woman in Westport Resolution 5k on New Year’s Day in 18:43, and 10th overall of 123 finishers. Her time was 20 seconds faster than her 2015 in the same race indicating she’s in great form currently.  Conditions were tough with persistent rain right through the event which covered five circuits of Westport town centre.

Aoibhe Richardson (Kilkenny City Harriers) was second 19:03 – she won silver in the Junior (U-20) at the National Cross Country Championships in Santry in November and competed in the Irish Junior team at last month’s European Cross Country Championships in France. In third place behind Aoibhe was her mother Niamh Richardson (KCH) W50, third 19:38. Niamh (Murphy) is a Westport native and a former winner at Hollymount in 1990, and ’91. She won numerous National medals and represented Ireland in World Cross Count at Aix-les-Bains in 1990.

Ballina native Declan Fahey (Tullamore Harriers) M40 won the race in 16:37. He was also in action on St Stephen’s day finishing third in the Kilbeggan 6k in 20:24.