A mid-summer's day with the temperatures well into the 20s made for a somewhat different Nike/Ballycotton '10', but the race was still marked by two outstanding performances by two of the country's top athletes.
A mid-summer's day with the temperatures well into the 20s made for a somewhat different Nike/Ballycotton '10', but the race was still marked by two outstanding performances by two of the country's top athletes.
Noel Berkeley made it a historic fifth win, coming home over two minutes clear in a time of 49:54, the only man under 50 minutes as all times were slowed considerably by the warm conditions. Martin McCarthy took second in 52:04, with Mick Traynor duplicating his National Marathon bronze position.
After the race Noel Berkeley spoke with the Examiner's Brendan Mooney saying, "It was hot out there, but there was a cooling wind. Obviously I am thrilled with the fifth win. It is always great to win in Ballycotton. There is something special about the race and there is something really special about the record number of wins.
Berkeley said he'd be back next year but the Dublin native living in Cork would rather be wearing the green vest in the World Cross Country Championships set for a Dublin a week after next year's Ballycotton race.Berkeley at 2001 World Cross
photo by T. Patrick O'Dowd
The biggest reception of the day went to Olympic Silver-Medallist Sonia O'Sullivan as she made her first Ballycotton appearance a winning one, her time of 55:37 just missing out on the women's course record by 9 seconds. Valerie Vaughan was close behind in 56:08, with race holder Teresa Duffy in third, 57:52.
Sonia O'Sullivan told Brendan Mooney of the Examiner, "You get a bit carried away and you want to run faster. There were times when I had to stop myself and hold myself back. At the moment, I am not very good at running fast or running up hills so I was saving myself for the last hill."
A huge community effort marked another chapter in the Ballycotton story - a race that started way back in 1978 with just 31 runners, and which now has surely earned the title of - 'a classic race at a classic distance'.
Sonia O'Sullivan photo
courtesy of Dublin Mini-Marathon
Thanks to Ballycotton Running Promotions for this report. Click on the Ballycotton logo for complete results of the 2001 race.
NIKE BALLYCOTTON '10' (24th) "A classic race at a classic distance"
Ballycotton, Co. Cork, Ireland
Sunday, 24 June 2001, 764 finishers
Course Records: Men: Gary Staines, 47:00 (1995)
Women: Marian Sutton 55:28 (1997)
Race Director, John Walshe, Ballycotton Running Promotions
Prize Money: Not Reported
1. Sonia O'Sullivan Ballymore-Cobh 55:37
2. Valerie Vaughan Blarney-Inniscarra 56:08
3. Teresa Duffy Beechmount Harriers 57:52
4. Niamh O'Sullivan Riocht 1:01:31
5. Mary Sheehan Grange-Fermoy 1:02:16
6. Julie Butler Sparta 1:02:37
7. Susan Waterstone Naas 1:06:02
8. Mary Sweeney St. Finbarrs 1:06:17
9. Mary Murphy St. Finbarrs 1:06:59
10. Antoinette Holland Lucan Harriers 1:07:26
Vet 40
1 Mary Sheehan Grange-Fermoy 1:02:16
Vet 50
1 Eileen Kenny St. Finbarrs 1:14:06
1 Noel Berkeley Dundrum South Dublin 49:54
2 Martin McCarthy Leevale 52:04
3 Michael Traynor Raheny Shamrocks 52:05
4 John Downes London Irish 52:12
5 Alan Merriman Liffey Valley 53:02
6 Roy Fahy Leevale 53:26
7 Simon Fairmaner Dundrum South Dublin 53:52
8 Eric Meade East Cork 54:29
9 Tony O'Halloran Dundrum South Dublin 54:38
10 Peter Duggan St. Josephs 54:52
Vet 40
1 Tony O'Halloran Dundrum South Dublin 54:38
Vet 50
1 Patrick O'Shea Iveragh 58:18