Rosemary Ryan
Photo by Ricky Simms
Valerie Lynch
Photo Courtesy of Western Kentucky University
Dubliner Ciaran Doogan who competes for the University of Texas at Arlington placed sixteenth running 31:09 for 10 kilometres at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. John McDonnell's (Crossmolina, Co. Mayo) Arkansas team won the team title with 25 points. Another Dubliner, Alan Dunleavey did not compete as he was nursing an injured calf muscle. Keith O'Doherty who was born in Dublin and lived his first thirteen years in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow placed 24th for Arkansas (31:45). Nenagh's Brian Murray (University of South Alabama) placed 65th (32:55). The Arkansas women's team won the team title with 20 points. Ulster's Wendy Davis placed 40th covering the five-kilometre course in 19:08. University of Tulsa's Maragaret Danagher (Tipperary) placed 51st (19:16), Oklahoma's Sinead Holt (Dublin) was 115th (20:31) and South Alabama's Grainne O'Dea (Co. Donegal) finished 136th in 21:36.
The International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) announced on 19 November 1999 that the 29th World Cross Country Championships will take place in Dublin, Ireland in March 2001. The venue has not been finalised. Phoenix Park is the most likely choice but if it is not available, an alternative site may be sought in north Dublin; with Malahide Castle a possible choice. The last time the World Cross Country Championships were held in the Republic was in Limerick, 1979. The winner was John Treacy.
Ray Treacy's Providence women's team placed second at the Big East Conference X-C Championships held at at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York on 29 October 1999. Villanova's Geraldine McCarthy (Listowel, Co. Kerry) was 92nd in 20:20. On the men's side, the Friars were led by junior Keith Kelly of Drogheda, Ireland who finished second in a time of 24:27. Sophomore Paul Reilly (Loughrea, Co. Galway) was 13th (25:10), sophomore Dermot Galvin (Kilrush, Co. Clare) placed 16th (25:25). Corkman Paul Carroll (Villanova) placed 34th in 26:04.
Vinny Mulvey won the MAAC Cross Country Championships in 25:36 at Van Courtlandt park in the Bronx, New York on 31 October 1999.James Butler of Fairfield was 30th in 27:50. The Iona Gaels, coached by Mick Byrne won the team title with 19 points.
Aidan Walsh placed eighth at the Northeast Conference Cross Country Championships held in Monmouth, New Jersey on 30 October 1999. Walsh's time for the 8-kilometre course was 26:08. His Fairleigh Dickinson University teammate Stephen Ondieki (Kenya) won the race in 25:28.
Former Irish Junior Cross Country Champions battled it out in the New England Championships. Providence's Keith Kelly (Drogheda, Co. Louth) ran 23:43 on the 8-kilometre Franklin Park course. of Providence was the winner (23:43) from Enda Johnson (Co. Monaghan) of Brown University was second in 24:08, with Limerick's Ciaran Lynch of Providence 6th (24:27). Kelly's individual honours weren't enough as Ray Treacy's Friars were relegated to third place. Brown won the men's race with 69 points. Providence won the women's title with 39 points lead by Heather Cappello's second place finish. The first Irish runner was Galway's Kathryn Casserly (29th - 18:21). The meet was held in Boston, Massachusetts on 15 October 1999.
In the men's "A" race at the Pre-NCAA Cross Country Invitational (16 October 1999) Vinny Mulvey (Ashbourne, Co. Meath) placed fortieth running 24:59.96 on the 8-kilometre Bloomington, Indiana course. Iona College teammate Barry Egan (Cahir, Co. Tipperary) was 173rd in 26:20.55. Paul Carroll (Leevale) who runs for Marcus O'Sullivan's Villanova Wildcat's placed 229th in 27:41.64. In the Women's 'B' Race Carrignavar's Valerie Lynch (Western Kentucky) placed third 18:00.61. Her time was the 32nd fastest time of the day for all women harriers. Her teammates all from East Cork helped the Lady Hilltoppers capture the team title. Olga Cronin (32nd - 19:09.75), Caroline Daly (37th - 19:14.57) and Lisa Cronin (69th - 19:41.37).