Mayo athlete Hugh Armstrong crowned national marathon champion

HUGH Armstrong of Ballina AC claimed a maiden national marathon title at yesterday's Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

A former national champion over the half-marathon distance, Armstrong showed his international pedigree to take gold in 2:14:51.

Locked in battle with Killian Mooney (Dundrum South Dublin AC) for much of the race, the 32-year-old Mayo man pulled clear after about 35km and pushed on from there.

Mooney hung on for silver, clocking a huge personal best of 2:15:44, while Stephen McAuley (Letterkenny AC) won a hard-fought bronze medal in 2:16:37.

“It’s great to win the title,” Armstrong said afterwards speaking to Athletics Ireland. “It’s great to win the cup. Conditions were very tough out there. There was a storm blowing and it was very windy, so I just tried to race and get the win, didn’t worry too much about the time.”

Hugh continued: “The marathon title in Dublin is one of the best to win. I don’t think we’ve had a win for Ballina Athletics Club like this before. I don’t know if a Mayo man has won this either.”

Like Armstrong, Judith Storm of City of Derry Spartans AC was a maiden winner in Dublin on Sunday.

Her national title sees her continue a meteoric running journey. The mother of four, including triplets, only started in the sport four years ago, joining City of Derry Spartans AC when she moved from Belfast in 2022.

The 39-year-old ran a negative split race, coming home in 1:17:36 after a conservative first half. She crossed the line in 2:35:46, just 12 seconds clear of Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill (West Limerick AC, 2:35:48), who had led for much of the way.

Meghan Ryan (Dundrum South Dublin AC), who won the Irish Life Dublin Half Marathon last month, claimed national bronze in 2:40:47.

“I don’t think I’ll remember today at all, because it’s such a blur,” Storm said afterwards. “I can’t believe it. I’m delighted, it’s the best day of my life, apart from having my kids!

“I didn’t do any exercise growing up at all. I should’ve maybe. I bought a bike during Covid just to get out of the house from the triplets…I’ve an addictive personality.

“When we moved to Derry and the kids went to school, then I joined the running club. Everyone can start. That’s the message I’d like to get across to women with kids – you can achieve things for yourself.”

Patrick Monahan (Le Cheile AC) won his ninth title in the wheelchair race in 1:46:03.

Over 19,000 runners started this year’s Irish Life Dublin Marathon, the highest number and proportion (85%) of entrants in history.