–Sinéad O’Carroll reports from Rio de Janeiro
Updated 5.48pm
FIONNUALA MCCORMACK CROSSED the finish line at Rio de Janeiro’s Sambodrombo in an impressive 20th place in today’s Olympic marathon.
With the sun shining and temperatures reaching a gruelling 27 degrees Celsius, the 31-year-old three-time Olympian put in a personal best of 2:31:22.
Kenya’s Jemima Jelagat Sumgong took the win in a time of 2:24:04.
It was a good day for Team Ireland with Lizzie Lee taking 57th place in 2:39:57, achieving her aim of a top 60 place and a sub 2:40 run, and Breege Connolly coming in 76th with a time of 2:44:41.
Still digesting the result in the athletes’ area, McCormack told The42 that she was unsure of how she was feeling.
“I think it was positive. I’m not really sure what to make of the whole thing because it’s only my third one (marathon),” she said.
I haven’t seen who was in front of me and who was behind me. A lot of the time you base races off who you think you should beat. Twenty seconds off a PB in a marathon isn’t major but a PB is going in the right direction.
However, she noted that she had stuck to her plan which had paid off.
“It would have been nice to catch the Japanese girl at the end but, yeah, I think everyone knew you had to be a bit conservative at the start today,” she explained, referring to the heat.
“Then it’s the Olympics so there are always people who will go off. I thought there would be a lot of people coming back and there’s going to be carnage at some point. And you always hope it might be more than what it is.”
The hot conditions didn’t bother McCormack with the Wicklow woman revealing she wasn’t afraid of how they might impact her.
Experience in Mombasa and other tough-but-good races in heat over the years have instilled the necessary confidence.
Some of it is psychological… I wasn’t afraid that the heat was going to affect me. Obviously, you can’t just disregard it and tear off at whatever pace. But if you take it into account, but it’s not something I’m afraid of. Probably, the tougher the better.
“But 20th after where I started is probably OK. I think it was better than my other two Olympics. I’ll have to come back again now.”
Will that be for another marathon or back on the track at 10,000m?
(McCormack opted out of the 10,000m in this Olympics despite qualifying as the endurance events were only days apart).
“It was definitely too close to do them both – definitely to do them both justice,” she explained.
“I think, yeah like maybe, I could have ran well in the 10,000. I don’t know if I would have wanted to be in it anyway,” she laughs.
The athlete went to the track to watch Almaz Ayana obliterate a world record – which had been held for 23 years – by 14 seconds.
“[I] suppose, you can’t be too negative about things and I don’t really know what to make of it,” she said of Friday’s race.
“And I guess everybody is in the same boat at this stage. It was still a good race to watch though – and I was glad I went out to see it, to see all the other subplots. It was a big race with a big field, which I think is the positive out of it.
“Even with all the scandals and everything going on, the fact that there is 35 or 36 people in the race means that everybody hasn’t given up on the sport altogether. Take the positives and look at it from that point of view.”
For now, no decisions are being made.
“I enjoyed the 10k on the track at the Europeans. Obviously, it would have been nice to get a medal but it was good to be running close to my best. I think I could probably go quicker if I focused on it. I love cross country. It’s nice to have the three.”
The only plan for now is to give some care and love to the blistered feet and spend nine free days in Rio, soaking in her third Olympic Games.
Well seeing as they last won the english leauge some 28 years ago and have a tendency to sell there best strikers, why wouldn’t I think that,
@Jonathan Byrne:
I have never seen so much hype about a team who have won nothing ,are 20 points off winning their league, have again sold their best player mid season , and who all other teams in the last 4 of a cup competition wanted desperately to draw. No league title for nearly 30 years and just one 1 trophy in ten years same as the likes of Wigan. Am i missing something ??
@Joe O’riordan: missing nothing absolutely spot on
@Joe O’riordan: Missing something? Don’t think so, unless its your MU jersey and scarf.
@Joe O’riordan: Coutinho their best player? Liverpool are better without him
@Joe O’riordan: Liverpool didn’t sell Salah mid season?
Who knows next year might be there year they win the premier league…….. Pfffft. Salah will playing for real Madrid next aswell.
@Jonathan Byrne: best of luck with that
@Jonathan Byrne: haha nice try, at least the pool have a player that Real or Barca would want!
@Jonathan Byrne: Jeez those grapes are very sour…
@Jonathan Byrne: “Somebody please give me attention” – The Comment
@seancreaven13: I’m just laying down some facts, fair play to getting to the semis of the champions leauge this year, but I don’t think its sour grapes if what I say is true.
But but but didn’t they win the finishing above Utd trophy last year !!!
@powerfix: doesn’t carry the same prestige anymore.
@Mick Power: ou snap!
@Mick Power: aah you know it does Mick
@Carl Johnson: ou Marcus!
Well what seems to be emerging now is defending is much better, there was no evidence until now. If they can keep best players, add GK/defensive cover and with Keita coming in they will make PL challenge. I was surprised MU slipped yesterday, it seems they struggle more than LFC in breaking defensives down. With JM near 3 years he has to challenge next year but somehow I don’t see it. Yes they defend well but have ordinary attack.
For me the top 3 teams next year will be MC, Tot & LFC. MU should be there but JM would need dynamic players and changes his approach. I don’t see that happening. If they back him in transfer market he’ll get a final go using his methods. While he maintains its not that long ago he won PL I think football is now being dominated by more attacking dynamic teams.
@Nick Leone: so coming to the end of your second season is near 3 years ???? Pass the dutchie round will ya