IRELAND’S FIONNUALA MCCORMACK smashed her best-ever marathon time by nearly three minutes to finish fifth at the Valencia Marathon on Sunday morning.
The four-time Olympian ran a time of 2:23:58, the second-fastest time ever run by an Irish woman behind Catherina McKiernan’s 2:22:23 national record which has stood for over 23 years.
McCormack’s previous best over the distance was 2:26:47 in Chicago in 2019.
Up next for the 37-year-old is next Sunday’s European Cross Country Championships, which take place on the Sport Ireland campus in Dublin.
Kenya’s Nancy Jelagat won Sunday’s race in 2:19:31 ahead of Etagegne Woldu in second (2:20:16), with the pair finishing comfortably clear of Woldu’s Ethiopian team-mate Beyenu Degefa in third (2:23:04).
Primera atleta en llegar a meta:
— Maratón Valencia (@maratonvalencia) December 5, 2021
Nancy Jelagat con 2:19:31#42KValencia #MaratónValencia pic.twitter.com/9nZArtJ463
It was a Kenyan double after Lawrence Cherono won the men’s race in 2:05:12, holding off Chalu Deso (2:05:16) in the final sprint to the line.
Lawrence Cherono, ganador del #42KValencia con 2:05:11#MaratónValencia pic.twitter.com/nzwjGs8hHb
— Maratón Valencia (@maratonvalencia) December 5, 2021
– First posted 10.18, 5 December
She is some athlete
Amazing.
Super running.
Some lady
That is amazing , but how on earth is she going to be recovered for next week ? A big ask ?
@John O Reilly: be lucky if next weekend happens at all.
A fantastic Athlete , she does her talking in The track , many congratulations .
Great running
She’s a class act. Best of luck to her next week. Looking forward to it myself. Tickets got
Brilliant. See her running on the Murrough in Wicklow. Mind you I dont see her for too long. Gone in a flash