Ledwith denied Irish record by IAAF criteria

Fr Murphy athlete Andrew Ledwith finished second in the Desert News 10 km road race in Salt Lake City on Saturday in a time of 27:34.6 to take the runner-up position behind the record-breaking Ethiopian Alene Reta in a new course record time of 27:18.7. Ledwith's time bettered John Treacy's Irish 10km record which he set in 1985 at 27:46, but unfortunately for the Meath athlete the course did not conform with IAAF criteria. Athletics Ireland checked the details on Monday and were informed that the course that was used for the Desert News 10km did not conform to IAAF criteria for the ratification of road records. The downhill nature of the course is outside the guidelines specified by the IAAF. Treacy's 1985 record for the distance survives. Tullamore was the venue for the AAI juvenile championships on Saturday where Trim AC were well represented. Emma Foley finished fifth in the u-18 high jump with a leap of 1.45m while in the long jump her best was 4.25m which qualified her for the final eight jump-off. Shane Aston set a new personal best in the u-17 javelin with 37.24m for sixth in the final. In the u-18 discus Andrew Lynam had his best throw of the season when taking sixth place with a throw of 28.86m. Clare McLernon finished seventh in the u-17 triple jump. Ballytore in Kildare was the venue on Friday night for the 27th running of the Irish Guide Dogs 6km. There was a good turn-out of Meath athletes and many of them got among the prizewinners in the masters categories. Paddy Mangan (Dunshaughlin), Mary Watters (Navan) and Brigid Clarke (Na Fianna) all won their classes while Maggie Higgins, AnnMarie McCluskey, Ann Tobin, Laura Cotter and Marie Reilly recorded top three finishes. The Athletics Northern Ireland Grand Prix took place at the Mary Peters track in Belfast on Saturday. Trim's David Tobin continued his recent run of good results with second place in the long jump and his 6.79m jump in the final round was his best effort in his latest duel with Adam McMullan of Mid Ulster AC. This weekend the Daingean 5km road race will take place on Friday 30th July, 8.0, near Edenderry. Also on Friday, Ardee AC will host an under-age road race from the Fair Green, 7.15. Castlepollard in Westmeath will host a similar event on Wednesday 4th August, 8.0 and the Carlingford 5km will take place on Friday 6th August.