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THERE can be few more athletes deserving of a spell without injury than Australian Georgie Clarke. The former Australian teenage prodigy ran for her country at the Sydney Olympics ten years ago – she reached the semi finals of the 1500m - and back then would not have thought she would be running a season’s best in the first BMC Grand Prix to be held in Northern Ireland. The 26-year-old from Melbourne is making a concerted comeback after a decade of injury problems that would have forced a lesser person to quit but now there is the prize to try and qualify for the Commonwealth Games in India and while her time of 4:10.67 was just outside the Australian standard of 4:09.5 the evidence at the Mary Peters track is that she is more than capable of achieving her goal.
“I have had some serious injuries over the years and it has been a real battle,” said Clarke. “In fact since I turned 21 I don’t think I have ever managed more than three months of consistent training before breaking down. “My running is my passion and while I wasn’t sure about coming to Europe I thought I’d try and get the qualifying for the Commonwealth Games. Tonight was a good race and while I wanted to get under 4:09.5 I’m getting close and more importantly if I can keep going, stay injury free then hopefully I can reap the benefits next year.”
Ironically Clarke didn’t win the race or even finish top Australian as team-mate 25-year-old Lisa Corrigan (4:10.38) held her off on an exciting last lap which thrilled the crowd sitting in the evening sun.
“That was a season’s best for me so I’m pleased with that although like Georgie I wanted that 4:09.5 but I think we both tied up in the last 100 metres,” said Corrigan, who is based in Canberra. “But we both got the B qualifying standard of 4:11 and we are now No 2 and 3 in the rankings behind Kaila McKnight. Hopefully they will take all three of us to India.”
The Aussies have until August 15th to stake their claims for a place in the team. To complete an international feel to the race Irish racer Hazel Murphy was third, American Renee Baillie fourth and Canadian Megan Metcalfe finished third. Top Brit was Vale Royal’s 20-year-old Stevie Stockton in sixth with 4:17.08, her second fastest time of the season.

The men’s 1500m also saw an international victory with American Andrew Bumbalough sprinting to victory in 3:42.64 after a rough ‘n’ tumble race that 17 men on the start line. For Bumbalough, who sees his future at the 5000m after finishing third in the US Championships this year, it was his last race on his first mini European tour but also his first experience of a BMC event and on Saturday’s evidence it will not be his last.
“In one sense there was low key, relaxed feel to the meet but everyone was very intent and determined to run as fast as possible,” said Bumbalough, a 23-year-old based in Washington DC. “I thought the pacemaker did a great job and I loved the meeting.” James Thie may have given nine years away to Bumbalough but you wouldn’t have guessed it by the way he finished to claim the runner-up spot (3:43.14). “I wanted to get under 3:41 tonight, the qualifying standard for the Welsh team to be eligible for the Commonwealths, but the second lap was too slow,” groaned Thie, who clocked a season’s best of 3:40.97 in Belgium earlier this month. “I have done the qualifying once but I’m not sure if that is enough to be picked. But I’m enjoying my running again now and have been re-invigorated by my coaching role and joining in with the lads – and trying to stay in front of them!”

Arguably the best quality performance of the meeting came from City of Stoke AC runner Emma Jackson. She won the 800m A race in a personal best time of 2:01.66 to not only avenge the defeat she suffered at the hands of Stacey Smith at the England Championships in Gateshead the previous week but also move to fourth in the UK Rankings behind Jenny Meadows (1:58.43), Jemma Simpson (1:58.74) and Marilyn Okoro (2:01.55). “I was garbage at Gateshead and don’t know why I felt so flat,” said 22-year-old Jackson, the 2007 European U20 silver medallist. “That was in the back of my mind when I came here so to run a PB was a huge relief. But it was a great race. Conditions were good, the stadium and track here are excellent – it was perfect for a fast race!”
Smith, who has made progress this season under coach Mick Woods, chased Jackson hard down the home straight but admits that a mistake on the top bend cost her the chance of victory although she still managed to run a PB of 2:01.93. “I mucked up to be honest and got into a wrong position which was totally my own fault,” said 20-year-old Smith. “It cost me the chance of winning but that is a PB so I’m pleased. It has been a good week after winning the England title last weekend.”
Gareth Warburton may be at the start of his career as an 800m runner but he is learning fast and the Welsh No 1 stayed patient even though he was boxed in coming off the top bend on the final lap. “I have learned how to race this year and I’ll probably keep on learning fir the next five or six years,” said Warburton, who nipped through for victory in 1:47.49.“My kick is better than most so I just had to wait for a gap to open up.” Warburton has yet to be confirmed in the Wales team for the Commonwealth Games but on his form should be a certainty and could do very well in India. Runner-up was Cambridge & Coleridge’s Ed Aston with Newham & Essex Beagles junior James Shane third.
American Brian Gagnon, who finished fifth marvelled at the BMC way of doing things. “To get a pacemaker like that (Richard Hill took the field through in 52 seconds and 78secs at 600m) was awesome,” said Gagnon. “It would be great to have meets like this back home and also the incentive of prize money as well. This was a great meet and the conditions were perfect.” Obviously there was a strong turn-out from athletes from the republic of Ireland, delighted to be spared the usual flight to the UK and offered a good class meeting on ‘home’ soil. Teenager Mark English is a very talented 17-year-old, who has been selected to represent Ireland at the World Youth Games, in Singapore, next month. He drove up with coach Teresa McDaid from Letterkenny and literally ran himself into the ground to win the 800m B race in a personal best time of 1:49.87.
“Mark got a few scalps tonight and we are absolutely delighted that the BMC brought their Grand Prix over here,” said McDaid. “We travel regularly to the UK and it was fantastic to be able to just drive up to Belfast for a quality race like this.” Runner-up was 17-year-old Wycombe athlete Zac Randall in a PB of 1:50.30.
There were also Irish winners of the men’s 1500m B and C races. Richard Corcoran, coached by former Irish international Jerry Kiernan, won the b race in a PB of 3:48, shaving off his previous best of 3:48.89. “I also ran a PB of 1:53.90 for 800m on Wednesday so it has not been a bad week,” said Corcoran. Eoin Flynn, who is also coached by Kiernan, won the C race with a fast finish in a time of 3:53.95.

Sale Harriers’ Donna Jones clocked a PB of 2:05.94 to win the women’s 800m B race after forcing the pace on the last lap and finishing strongly. “I really wanted to break 2:06 so I’m delighted with that and delighted that I came over here, it is an excellent track,” said Jones, who is coached by BMC President Norman Poole. Now she can turn her attention to supporting husband Andi, who is running the marathon at the European Championships. “He goes out on Friday and is in good shape,” added Jones.
There was no hiding the joy of Fiona Thompson as the Central AC runner from Edinburgh won the 1500m B race in a time of 4:29.82, carving almost four seconds off her best. “I’m ecstatic!” said Thompson, who celebrated her 24th birthday recently. “I have been trying to break 4mins 30secs for years and tonight it was just perfect.”

The meeting ended with a flourish with the two 3000m races ( not to mention a sumptious BBQ for athletes and officials!). Belgrave Harrier Dan Mulhare won the men’s with 8:05.02 with a brave run from the front but it was runner-up Johnny Hay that caught the eye with a massive PB of 8:08.84 slashing almost six seconds off the time he set at Watford two weeks previously. “I’m starting to hit form again and I’m really pleased with that,” said the 18-year-old Aldershot, Farnham & District runner, whose last lap suggested there is a lot more to come.
American Liz Maloy won the women’s race in tremendous style with a performance that will linger for a long time as she broke nine minutes first the first time with 8:56.89. “I’m so excited as that was a PB by ten seconds,” said Maloy, who was sixth in the 5000m at the US Championships. “To be honest the conditions were perfect and running here has a been a great experience – and I got to meet Eamonn Coghlan as well!” Runner-up Jessica Sparke was also delighted with her PB of 9:08.49 as it was the 23-year-old’s first race of the season. “I’m shocked with that,” said Sparke. “I have had just one track session this summer due to foot and knee problems and I was pretty scared on the start line. But once the race got underway I felt good and I was very strong at the end. It is very encouraging.

The verdict from the athletes was that the first BMC Grand Prix in Northern Ireland was a huge success and certainly one that was appreciated by athletes from both north and south of the border who normally have to fly to the UK mainland to find competition of this quality. Furthermore the UK based athletes who made the effort to travel were rewarded with perfect conditions in a the terrific Mary Peters arena – well remembered by officials and coaches as the scene of some great races in the past involving greats like Zola Budd and Steve Ovett.
“I had to get up at 5.30am to catch the 7am flight but I then had a power nap and have run a massive PB,” said Fiona Thompson, who broke 4mins 30secs for the first time to win the 1500m B race. “It is the first BMC race I have ever done but it won’t be the last. I really enjoyed the trip.” The whole experience was also enhanced with athletes staying overnight in the race hotel in Belfast and able to swap tales over a few drinks in the bar. “Normally we all rush off home after a meeting so this was great to have a drink and socialise with the season coming towards the end,” said 1500m runner Joe Durrant, who clocked a PB of 3:45.71. “I would definitely come back again.” ”

BMC GP Belfast - 2010

Results

		BMC 800 A (Mens)	Start : 18 02
		Name	Club
1	401	Gareth Warburton	Cardiff/UWIC	1:47.49
2	408	Ed Aston U23	Cambridge & Coleridg	1:48.09
3	409	James Shane U23	Newham & Essex Beagl	1:48.48
4	404	Joe Thomas U23	Cardiff/UWIC	1:48.76
5	405	Brian Gagnon	United States	1:48.96
6	402	Jonathan Cook	Cambridge Uni	1:48.99
7	406	Anthony Leighio U23	Tallaght/Ireland	1:49.37
8	407	Ben Green	Warrington/Loughboro	1:49.61
		.

Mens 800m A

		BMC 800 B (Mens)	Start : 18 50
		Name	Club
1	415	Mark English U20	Letterkenny/Ireland	1:49.87
2	416	Zac Randall U20	Wycombe/Ealing Sout	1:50.30
3	413	Liam Reale	Limerick/Ireland	1:50.72
4	412	David McCarthy U23	City of Derry/West W	1:51.05
5	411	Tuomo Salonen U23	Finland	1:51.06
6	410	Danny Barkes	Mansfield	1:51.35
7	424	Michael Wilsmore	Bristol & West/Royal	1:51.61
8	417	Eoin Everard	Kilkenny/Ireland	1:51.73
9	418	Joe Warne	Doheny/Ireland	1:54.33
		.
		BMC 800 C (Mens)	Start : 17 38
		Name	Club
1	427	Kevin Kane	Woodford Green Essex	1:53.12
2	422	Tom Gayle	City of Stoke/Loughb	1:53.28
3	425	Daniel Mooney U23	Letterkenny/Ireland	1:53.58
4	426	Matthew Sullivan U23	Shaftesbury Barnet/L	1:53.87
5	401	Gareth Hill	Ballymena & Antrim	1:54.06
6	420	Sam Yates U20	Newham & Essex Beagl	1:54.15
7	423	Fergal Ellis U23	Ireland	1:59.70
		.

Mens 800m C

		BMC 800 D (Mens)	Start : 19 44
		Name	Club
1	433	Karl Griffin U17	Tír Conaill/Ireland	1:53.26
2	432	Harry Harper U23	Liverpool H/Birmingh	1:53.41
3	429	Patrick Brennan	Letterkenny/Ireland	1:53.60
4	431	Niall Robinson U23	North Down/Queen's U	1:54.07
5	430	Ivan Kinahan	Rathfarnham/Ireland	1:54.39
6	434	Patrick Monaghan U17	Lagan Valley	1:55.40
7	428	James Ledingham	West Waterford/Irela	1:55.84
		.

Mens 800m D

		BMC 800 E (Mens)	Start : 17 54
		Name	Club
1	439	Andrew Mariani U23	Woodford Green Essex	1:55.07
2	436	Jordan Bransberg U17	Skyrac	1:55.66
3	438	Chris Lamb	Rugby & Northampton	1:55.92
4	435	Pajo Hamilton	City of Derry	1:56.00
5	437	Chris Prothero U23	Cardiff/Glamorgan Un	1:56.64
6	441	Mark McDonald U23	Clonliffe/Ireland	1:57.45
7	440	Darragh Greene	Dunleer/Ireland	1:59.44
		.

Mens 800m E

		BMC 800 F (Mens)	Start : 17 30
		Name	Club
1	448	Ian Ward U23	Finn Valley/Ireland	1:55.64
2	443	Neil Cowzer	Dundrum South Dublin	1.57.09
3	446	Patrick Linden U23	Willowfield	1:58.17
4	447	Jordan Stokes U20	North Down	1:58.50
5	450	Joe O' Donnell	Galway	1:59.11
6	445	Stewart Chalmers U20	Stornoway	1:59.30
7	451	Christopher Kelly U23	Donore/Ireland	1:59.74
8	444	Robbie Rankin U17	Lagan Valley	1:59.99
9	449	Samuel Millar	Ballymena & Antrim	2:02.46
		.

Mens 800m F

		BMC 800 G (Mens)	Start : 18 22
		Name	Club
1	459	Fintan Reilly V35	Dunleer/Ireland	1:55.39
2	456	Steven Dineen	Ballymena & Antrim	2:00.23
3	585	Omar Rachedi		2:01.09
4	457	Eddie Costello	Ireland	2:01.60
5	458	Allister Woods U23	Orchard County	2:03.19
6	455	Cormac Mcdonnell	Ireland	2:04.29
7	454	Jonny Orr U17	Lagan Valley	2:08.00
		.
		BMC 800 A (Womens)	Start : 18 12
		Name	Club
1	464	Emma Jackson U23	City of Stoke/Keele	2:01.66
2	465	Stacey Smith U23	Gateshead/Teeside U	2:01.93
3	468	Celia Taylor	Coventry	2:02.19
4	467	Alison Leonard U23	Blackburn/Birmingham	2:02.43
5	462	Charlotte Best	Crawley/Loughborough	2:02.54
6	466	Maggie Infeld	United States	2:03.47
7	461	Claire Gibson	Kilbarchan/Victoria	2:04.43
		.

Womens 800m A

		BMC 800 B (Womens)	Start : 17 46
		Name	Club
1	472	Donna Jones	Sale Harriers Manche	2:05.94
2	474	Jade MacLaren U23	Victoria Park City o	2:07.50
3	460	Ashley Cairns U17	Springwell	2:08.40
4	471	Heidi Pappila U23	Finland	2:09.09
5	470	Leigh Lennon U20	Newham & Essex Beagl	2:10.22
6	481	Siobhan Eviston	Ireland	2:10.30
7	475	Fiona Kehoe	Ireland	2:14.45
		.

Womens 800m B

		BMC 800 C (Womens)	Start : 18 58
		Name	Club
1	479	Sinead Denny U20	Dundrum South Dublin	2:14.05
2	480	Cara Sloss	Kilbarchan/Strathcly	2:15.74
3	476	Eva Laverty U17	Lagan Valley	2:21.26
4	478	Sophie Magee U17	Lagan Valley	2:24.94
		.
		BMC 1500 A (Mens)	Start : 19 06
		Name	Club
1	486	Andrew Bumbalough	United States	3:42.64
2	495	James Thie	Cardiff	3:43.14
3	485	Stephen Scullion U23	North Belfast/Alders	3:43.60
4	492	Stephen Davies	Belgrave	3:43.63
5	490	Alan O'Brien	Crusaders/Ireland	3:43.86
6	487	Jonathan Mellor	Liverpool H/Liverpoo	3:43.89
7	488	Jonathan Taylor	Morpeth/Teeside Uni	3:44.16
8	493	Garry Bristow	Trafford	3:44.58
9	403	James McIlroy	Ballymena & Antrim/L	3:44.90
10	484	Sean Connolly	Tallaght/Ireland	3:45.14
11	500	Joe Durrant U23	Cambridge H/Birmingh	3:45.71
12	491	Chris Gowell	Swansea/Baylor Uni	3:45.77
13	483	Chris Warburton	Notts/Loughborough U	3:46.11
14	499	Joseph Sweeney	Dundrum South Dublin	3:49.02
15	498	Ross Toole	Kilbarchan/Strathcly	3:51.68
		.

Mens 1500m A

		BMC 1500 B (Mens)	Start : 18 30
		Name	Club
1	505	Patrick McCartan	West Limerick/Irelan	3:47.98
2	509	Adam Bitchell U20	Cardiff/UWIC/West Wa	3:48.95
3	513	Emmett Dunleavy	Sligo/Ireland	3:50.26
4	502	Josh Gorecki U20	Aldershot Farnham &	3:51.09
5	503	Douglas Selman U23	Corstorphine/Edinbur	3:51.32
6	508	Richard Corcoran	Raheny Shamrocks/Ire	3:51.38
7	501	Mark Kirwan	Raheny Shamrocks/Ire	3:53.40
8	515	Craig Ruddy U23	Inverclyde/Central	3:54.68
9	506	Conor Healy	Clonliffe/Ireland	3:55.78
10	514	Alex Hains	Cardiff	3:57.04
11	504	Tommy Carroll U23	North Sligo/Ireland	3:58.48
		.

Mens 1500m B

		BMC 1500 C (Mens)	Start : 18 40
		Name	Club
1	527	Eoin Flynn	Rathfarnham/Ireland	3:53.95
2	532	Tim Prendergast	Woodford Green Essex	3:55.25
3	529	Tom Cunningham U23	Blackpool Wyre & Fy	3:55.70
4	530	Michael Kershaw U23	Cardiff/UWIC	3:56.05
5	519	Andrew Monaghan U17	Lagan Valley	3:56.58
6	528	Ronan Duggan U23	Bandon/Ireland	3:58.22
7	521	Christopher McGurk U23	Notts/Oxford Uni/Ach	3:58.74
8	531	Harry Webb U23	Bristol & West/Brune	3:58.80
9	523	Ian Conroy	Raheny Shamrocks/Ire	3:59.55
10	524	Lee van Haeften U23	Donore/Ireland	3:59.74
11	533	Simon McCluney U23	Lagan Valley/Glasgow	4:00.77
12	520	James Budde	North Down	4:01.77
13	526	Andrew Friend	Cardiff/UWIC	4:06.89
14	525	Alex Flynn U23	Aldershot Farnham &	4:12.41
15	518	Gary Crossan V35	Letterkenny/Ireland	4:14.84
16	587	Omar Rachedi	0	4:42.90
		.

Mens 1500m C

		BMC 1500 A (Womens)	Start : 19 20
		Name	Club
1	543	Lisa Corrigan	Australia	4:10.38
2	537	Georgie Clarke	Australia	4:10.67
3	544	Hazel Murphy	Dundrum South Dublin	4:13.36
4	580	Renee Baillie	United States	4:16.66
5	535	Megan Metcalfe	Canada	4:17.04
6	540	Stevie Stockton U23	Vale Royal/Loughboro	4:17.08
7	542	Natalie Pricchetti	United States	4:20.54
8	534	Orla Drumm	University College C	4:25.94
9	536	Sara Treacy U23	Moynalvey/Birmingham	4:27.94
10	541	Bridey Delayney U23	Unknown	4:33.01
		.

Womens 1500m A

		BMC 1500 B (Womens)	Start : 19 34
		Name	Club
1	553	Fiona Thompson	Central/Edinburgh Un	4:29.82
2	548	Lauren Scott U23	North Down/Birmingha	4:31.46
3	552	Hannah Alderson U20	Yate/Bristol & West	4:32.58
4	551	Katie Knowles U23	Bristol & West/Birmi	4:33.40
5	546	Becky Woods U23	Clonliffe/Ireland	4:35.55
6	547	Julie Turley	Dromore	4:38.98
7	549	Niamh Roe	Eagle/Ireland	4:42.66
8	550	Louise Reilly	Annalee/Clonliffe/Ir	4:50.19
9	545	Fiona Clinton	Ireland	4:53.12
		.
		BMC 3000 A (Mens)	Start : 20 04
		Name	Club
1	568	Dan Mulhare	Inverclyde/Napier Un	8:05.02
2	562	Jonathan Hay U20	Aldershot Farnham &	8:08.84
3	567	Jarkko Hamberg	Finland	8:13.71
4	556	Thomas Fitzpatrick	Tallaght/Ireland	8:14.04
5	566	Daniel Clorley U23	Luton/Birmingham Uni	8:15.41
6	565	Alex Tovey U23	Windsor Slough Eton	8:21.41
7	563	Joe McAlister	St. Malachy's/Irelan	8:21.80
8	561	Paolo Natali	Cambridge Uni/Italy	8:24.68
9	569	David Fitzmaurice U23	Clonliffe/Ireland	8:36.51
10	574	David Morwood V35	Annadale	8:37.13
11	559	Eddie McGinley	Annadale/Border	8:37.44
12	557	Barry Minnock V35	Rathfarnham/Ireland	8:37.86
13	555	Robert Corbally U23	Dundrum South Dublin	8:44.12
14	571	Hobie Martin U17	Newquay & Par/Bristo	8:53.06
15	573	Eoghan Totten U20	Newcastle & District	9:13.85
		.

Mens 3000m A

		BMC 3000 A (Womens)	Start : 20 19
		Name	Club
1	584	Liz Maloy	United States	8:56.89
2	583	Jessica Sparke	Woodford Green Essex Ladies/St Mary's Uni/Gloucester	9:08.49
3	581	Tina Brown	Coventry	9:17.00
4	576	Tanya Zeferjahn	United States	9:34.81
5	578	Maria Mc Cambridge V35	Dundrum South Dublin	9:38.84
6	582	Laura Dunn	City of York/York Acorn	9:52.74
7	575	Bryony Treston U23	Dundrum South Dublin	10:15.67
8	577	Cathy Mc Court V35	North Belfast	10:19.46

Womens 3000m A