Natasha Adams, Claire McGuigan,Ann-Marie McGlynn
Lifford AC ladies have been confirmed as the Athletics Ireland National 10k Team Champions.
After beating off stiff competition from Donore Harriers and Raheny Shamrocks. The Lifford team consisted of Ann-Marie Mc Glynn, Natasha Adams and Claire Mc Guigan.
The trio built on their recent run in the National Relay Champions where they finished 7th. Nastaha Adams has also picked up Silver in the 35+ category.
This team had only started coming together last summer when Nastaha Adams joined the club. Nastasha who secured 2 silver medals in the National Masters Indoors in the 3000m and 1500m this year. These medals were won back to back in the space of an hour of each other. Natasha’s first win however came in the Danny Mc Daid 15k last Autumn in Letterkenny. Natasha also had a strong Cross Country season last winter with a 2nd in both the Donegal Novice event and the Ulster Novice which were both held in Killybegs. Natasha also competed in the National Novice Cross Country where she finished 8th overall in a very strong field.
The next athlete to join the team was Ann-Marie McGlynn. Ann Marie who had been off the racing front for 6 years returned with a bang. Ann-Marie who has a list of stunning performances since last July. Ann Marie took a Bronze medal in the AAI indoor open games in the 1500m in Athlone. She then returned to the same track a few weeks later where she claimed a National Silver Medal in the 3000m. In cross country Ann Marie also had a great winter with a 3rd in the Donegal Senior. The Lifford team also secured a Silver medal in this event. Ann Marie most recent success was in the Omagh Half Marathon where she won the event. That was Ann Marie first ever time to race that distance which shows the determination of the Lifford AC to succeed in any event.
The final piece of the jigsaw was completed when Claire Mc Guigan joined in the Autumn of last year. Claire’s biggest win since has been the Donegal Novice Cross Country last October where she finished ahead of clubmate Natasha Adams. Claire built on this with a 3rd in the Ulster Novice a month later. Claire also finished an impressive 3rd in the Waterside Half Marathon last September and also a 4th in the Omagh Half Marathon a number of weeks ago. Claire also raced the Cara Bundoran 10 mile in March this year where she was 4th finishing only 4 seconds from 3rd.
Also a big mention to Bill Duncan who finished 9th in the 45+ category in the National 10k.
Kevin Connolly who has been responsible for recruiting and coaching all 3 athletes is delighted with the results and the progress of his team. Kevin has put the success down to all the athletes in the group who all train together and work hard for each other, without everyone these results would have been more difficult to achieve. Kevin is expecting big things from his athletes this summer, no pressure though folks