Paul Pollock leads local contingent home at Barcelona Half Marathon!

Barcelona Half Marathon 2018:

Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders / Andrew Hobdell) led the Northern Ireland contingent home at today’s Barcelona Half Marathon in Spain (Sunday 11th February 2018).

The Rio Olympian recorded 1:05:40 for 28th place – he was closely followed by current NI & Ulster 10,000m Champion Eoghan Totten (Newcastle AC / Richard Rodgers), who ran a new PB of 1:06:14 for 32nd place.  This leaves Paul and Eoghan in sixth and seventh place respectively in the current Athletics Ireland 13.1 mile rankings ahead of the World Half Marathon Championships in Spain next month (March 2018).

Eoghan was understandably happy with his personal best, but is keen to push on and better it.  Speaking to www.nirunning.co.uk after the race, he said:  “I had a sub 66 minute run in me today but dug a little too deep at 3km and between 7-8km.  Lesson learned. Having read Brendan Foster’s biography recently, I take away two things from today: 1) Run smart 2) Be prepared to dig deep, even for marginal gains 3) Be humble”

In the ladies race, Gladys Ganiel O’Neill (North Belfast Harriers / Matt Shields) clocked 1:17:38 for 25th place; Gladys is in 8th place in the AAI rankings with her 1:17:07 at the Dublin HM last year (2017).  Leevale AC’s Lizzie Lee had an outstanding run, clocking 1:13:23, a personal best.

Ethiopia’s Mule Wasihun won the race in a course record of 59:44 (1st place), while Bahrain’s Tejitu Daba took the ladies title in 1:08:36 (1st place).

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