North Isle of Man AC athlete takes down mark from 1993 as Jarlath McKenna claims the mens title

Eilish McColgan wasnt the only runner breaking British records on the road this weekend (April 2), as Adrian Stott reports.

Sarah Webster, North Isle of Man AC, in her debut at the distance, recorded 7:03:40 at the Anglo Celtic Plate 100km event, that incorporated the annual Home countries International, held at Craigavon in Northern Ireland. This was an astonishing 23 minute improvement on the time of 7:27:19 set by Carolyn Hunter-Rowe, when winning the World Championship 100km in Torhout, Belgium in 1993.

The event also included the British Athletics 100km Championship and the national championships of Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland and Ulster.

In a strong mens field, Northern Irelands Jarlath McKenna of Bristol and West AC, was a popular home winner of the mens championship. Pre-race favourites, Northern Irelands Gareth King and Englands Ollie Garrod, were prominent in a small group that included McKenna in the early stages.

Approaching half-way, GB international King upped the pace and only fellow British teammate, Garrod stayed with him.

King looked strong and was drawing away from Garrod and looking on course for a sub-six hour 30 minute time.

Those familiar with 100km racing know full well that after 40 miles, the real racing starts and things can, and often do, change quickly.

Approaching 75 km, King pulled up with a knee issue that forced him to drop out .

This left Garrod in the lead with five laps of the approximate 5km course to cover and also looking good for a sub 6:30 time. The Belgrave athlete then experienced his own issues and started slowing very quickly.

Jarlath McKenna win the British 100km Championships (Adrian Stott)

Possibly still feeling the effects of his phenomenal world 40 mile record the previous month, he was overtaken by a few of the runners chasing him. McKenna, from being four minutes behind Garrod at 80km, found himself in the lead by a minute at 85km.

Behind him, Swanseas Daniel Rothwell and Cambridge and Coleridges Jo Turner were in a battle for the silver and bronze medals.

It was Turner that eventually prevailed, taking second place in 6:41:06, over two minutes ahead of Swanseas Rothwell who ran 6:43:25.

Rothwell had the satisfaction of setting a new Welsh record. He cut it fine, beating the time of 6:43:55 set by fellow Swansea Harrier Trevor Hawes, set at Nottingham in 1989, by a mere 20 seconds. Garrod despite continuing to slow, hung on to finish in 8th in 6:58:10.

In a continued sign of the resurgence of the quality over 100km, nine men dipped under seven hours, improving on the seven men in last years championships in Perth.

McKenna now sits sixth on the GB all-time list with Turner in ninth and Rothwell in 13th.

In the womens championship, the margin of record setting was nothing short of phenomenal.

In a stunning display of committed running, Sarah Webster bravely committed from the start.

While some experienced observers, on appreciating the speed of her early laps splits, were voicing concerns that she just would not be able to sustain this pace, others were content to see her continue lap after lap.

Between three and four laps to go, it was obvious barring a disaster, that the British womens record would go. People were even wandering if Northern Ireland was about to see only the third woman in history to run under seven hours for 100km.

A noticeable slowing in the last two laps though took Websters finishing time out to 7:03:40.

In addition to shattering the British record, it is the second fastest time ever by a European, behind Dominika Stellmachs 6:53:20, and the fifth fastest all-time ever by a female athlete.

Over an hour behind her there was a race going on for the other womens podium placings.

Scotlands Emma Murray had worked her way steadily up to second place ahead of Irelands Pat McLaughlin, while Northern Irelands Karla Borland was also involved in the mix.

Over the closing laps, McLaughlin stayed strong to comfortably take second place in 8:19:25.

Murray and Borland ended up almost in a sprint finish, Borland winning by 10 seconds with 8:26:26 to 8:26:36. With McLaughlin ineligible for the GB championships, this left Borland and Murray in silver and bronze medal positions.

McLaughin took the Irish womens title, Borland the Northern Ireland and Ulster title and Murray the Scottish title.

For the men, Ciaran McGoniagle finished seventh and claimed the Irish title. Dougie Selman, in fifth, got the Scottish crown with McKenna taking the Northern Ireland and Ulster title.

In the Anglo Celtic Plate home countries team competition, England comfortably beat Scotland and Ireland taking silver and bronze respectively. In the womens team, Scotland had a close tussle with Northern Ireland, eventually winning out by a small seven minute interval.

Anglo Celtic Plate Home Countries team Competition

Mens Competition

England  21:00:54

Scotland  21:19:57

Ireland    22:01:57

Womens Competition

Scotland  25:58:39

Northern Ireland  26:06:51

*Only two full womens team finished

Womens Individual Competition

Sarah Webster  Isle of Man    7:03:40

Karla Borland   Springwell AC 8:26:26

Emma Murray   JSKintore       8:26:36

Mens Individual Competition

Jarlath McKenna Bristol & West    6:37:19

Joseph Turner    Cambridge & Coleridge  6:41:06

Daniel  Rothwell    Swansea Harriers 6:43:25

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