MAYO AC in European club cup

Submitted by Tom Hunt

Congratulations to the Mayo Ac womens team who won bronze team medals at the European clubs cup in Portugal earlier today (Sat 29th Oct). The team consisted of Mary Gleeson, Colette Tuohy, Kathy Connolly and Sarah Syron. Raheny Shamrocks who were representing Ireland in the Men’s Competition took a very creditable 4th place. More detail to follow when the team arrive home…

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Mayo AC will continue their excellent record in International athletics competition when they compete in Portugal on Sunday 30th October. The European InterClubs Road Championships have been taking place in tandem with the club’s 25 year history. Mayo AC Senior women now have the distinction of competing in the European Clubs road race for the fourth time – Formia Italy 2002, Moscow 2003, and in hot and hilly Torres Vedras, Portugal last year, where they finished in 4th place. Catherine Conway who finished 9th led the team there, with Mary Gleeson 12th and Colette Tuohy 14th.

This year they will compete in the 25th European Clubs Road race
Championships over a 15k (9.3mile)  course in Almeirim, an historic
town north-east of Lisbon. They qualified to represent Ireland through
winning the senior women’s team title at the National Half Marathon
Championships in 2010. On that occasion Catherine Conway led the
winning senior team that won the honour to compete in Almeirim in
2011.

Mary Gleeson who will lead the four strong team, has been in brilliant
form in 2011 with numerous race wins and personal bests, including a
record fourth Mayo AC Road League title. She will be joined by Colette
Tuohy, Kathy Connolly, and Sarah Syron – all of them showing
consistently improving performances throughout the year.
Mary, Kathy,and Colette made up the Senior team who won bronze at this
year’s National Half Marathon in Waterford in September.
The experience gained last year will serve them well as they look
forward to competing with the leading club runners from all over
Europe.

The team will be accompanied by Club Chairman, Michael McGrath and PJ
Hall as Team Manager. The Portuguese club Maratona took both the men’s
and women’s team competitions at the European Champion Clubs Cup road
race in Torres Vedras last year.

A six man team from Raheny Shamrock will represent Ireland in the
European Clubs Men’s Cup which is over the Half Marathon distance also
at Almeirim.
We wish them all the best of luck in Portugal.

Pictures by Michael Donnelly