Ledwith returns from US for national title

Meath athlete Andrew Ledwith claimed the National Cross-Country senior men's title at Kilbeggan racecourse on Sunday. As predicted at the Meath Athletics Association awards by chairman Brendan Meade last week, both Ledwith and Sarah Treacy were to the fore at the National Cross-Country championships with Ledwith claiming the men's senior title and Treacy storming to victory in the women's u-23 event. Fr Murphy athlete Ledwith has been excelling on the college scene in America, but he opted to return home on Saturday afternoon to compete for the national title following a training stint in the altitude of Flagstaff, Arizona. That proved to be an inspired decision as he coasted to an impressive win over an experienced field for the athlete who has been training in Flagstaff for six months since earning his Masters Degree from Iona College, New York. His first attempt at the national senior title proved to be a successful one as he made his break from the pack with two laps of the testing course remaining. The course, which was quite flat except for the slight climb over the final 60 metres. Ledwith made light work of the conditions with a commanding display over the 10km distance. From the gun Ledwith was with the leading group and as they came by the finish area at the end of the first lap a group of three athletes Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe), Sean Connolly (Tallaght) and Ledwith had opened up a slight lead. The tight looping course gave the crowd a great view of the unfolding action and the Meath fans were moving about the course cheering Ledwith and the rest of the Meath team. Michael Mulhare (North Laois) joined the leading three as they moved out on their third lap. By the end of that circuit the trio of runners had dropped Mulhare and Ledwith decided to size up his opposition. The Meath runner upped the pace slightly and moved into the lead as he waited to see how his opposition might respond. While the Meath supporters anxiously saw Kenneally and Connolly rejoin him, Ledwith had their measure and he waited another half lap before finally making his telling break. Ledwith quickened his pace and over a short distance he opened up a 10-metre lead on the two Dublin men. This lead grew over the remainder of the fourth lap and as he went out on the final circuit there was only going to be one winner. Ledwith came home to rapturous applause to take his first title with 23 seconds to spare over Connolly. Ledwith will now lead the Irish senior men's team for the European Cross-Country Championships at Santry on Sunday, 13th December. Equally as impressive as Ledwith's five-star performance was the outstanding display produced by Moynalvey's Treacy as she claimed the u-23 crown and a place on the Irish team for the European championships next month to once again underline her status as one of the country's leading young athletes. After a couple of good races on the English collegiate circuit this autumn, last year's junior cross-country championship winner Treacy showed that she was fit to mix it with the senior athletes. She moved into fifth place at the end of the first lap and tried to close on the next group, Deirdre Byrne and Fionnula Britton (Wicklow) and Linda Byrne (Dublin) who were chasing the runaway leader Mary Cullen (Sligo). Treacy held her form throughout the race and finished fifth overall in the senior race and was the leading u-23 athlete to secure her place on the national team.