World 100km Championship silver for Terry Shanley
St Cocas U11 mixed relay team
Kildare endurance athletes enjoyed international success at the recent World 100km Championships in Spain, with Clane AC's Terry Shanley claiming a silver medal and Le Chéile AC's Patricia McLoughlin producing another outstanding performance on the world stage.
Closer to home, attention turned to cross-country action as St Coca's AC successfully hosted the County Cross-Country Relays at Larchill Arcadian Gardens in Kilcock. The event attracted impressive numbers across all age groups, providing an encouraging sign ahead of next week's County Cross-Country Even Age Championships.
Two Kildare athletes represented Ireland at the World 100km Championships in Ames, Spain, with Terry Shanley (Clane AC) and Patricia McLoughlin (Le Chéile AC) both producing performances of the highest calibre.
Set in the picturesque Galicia region, Ames provided a challenging test for competitors as temperatures soared to 33 degrees. Such conditions placed huge demands on athletes and support crews alike, with hydration a crucial factor throughout the race, which took place over a largely exposed 5km loop.
Starting at 8.30am, the event was won by American Charlie Lawrence in 6:00:09, while fellow American Courtney Olsen was the first female finisher in 7:10.
Shanley delivered a superb performance, finishing 38th overall in a personal best time of 7:12:25. Racing alongside fellow Irish team members Robert Kelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Matthew Collins (Portmarnock AC) during the early stages, Shanley steadily moved through the field as the race progressed.
His strong finish earned him silver in the M35 category, with only Anthony Fagundes of the USA finishing ahead of him in that division. Shanley's achievement was all the more impressive given the challenging conditions, which saw 27 athletes fail to finish from a starting field of 142.
McLoughlin, meanwhile, further enhanced her reputation as one of Ireland's leading ultra-distance athletes. A seasoned international who has represented Ireland over distances ranging from 50km to 24-hour races, she was Ireland's sole female finisher on the day.
The 2026 national champion finished fourth in the W50 category in an excellent time of 9:07:15, placing 53rd overall from 79 finishers. The intense heat had a significant impact on the women's race, with more than 20 per cent of starters forced to withdraw.
There was also a significant Kildare involvement behind the scenes. John O'Regan of Le Chéile AC, serving as Director of Communications for the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), acted as Project Coordinator for the event and played a key role in its successful delivery.
The County Cross-Country Relays returned with a new format this year, as Kildare Athletics introduced mixed-gender teams across the competitions.
Hosted by St Coca's AC in Kilcock, the event once again proved hugely popular, bringing together sprinters, middle-distance runners and cross-country athletes in one of the most enjoyable fixtures on the local athletics calendar.
A total of 16 teams and 64 athletes took part in the opening race of the day, the U9 Mixed 4x250m relay.
Newbridge AC claimed gold through Robbie McCabe, Siofra Hoare, Mason Malone and Siomha McElroy after a thrilling battle with Crookstown-Millview's quartet of Michael Dwyer, Pia Finnigan, Caolan Kavanagh and Meabh Rossiter, who took silver.
Bronze went to Newbridge's second team of Cormac Nugent, Sophie Farrell, Aaron Finnegan and Rachel Duggan.
The largest field of the day saw 27 teams compete in the U11 relay.
Hosts St Coca's AC, who fielded eight teams, took gold through Seanog Cawley, Amelia Brogan, Eoghan Walsh and Aoibhe Lambe. Crookstown-Millview's team of Fionn Jones, Thomas Russell, Elle Toomey and Clodagh Sands secured silver, while Suncroft's quartet of Ciaran Duffy, Piper Grainger, Cian Tuite and Grace O'Donnell edged Newbridge by a single second to take bronze.
Twenty-two teams lined up for the U13 race, with Suncroft producing a dominant display to secure gold.
The winning quartet of Glen Galloway, Adele Geoghegan, Oran Tuite and Sarah Cousins finished 18 seconds clear of Naas AC's team of Eibhlinn Valentine, Larry Finn, Laya Ní Draighean and Cillan McManus.
Newbridge AC's Tim Barron, Freddie Boland, Roise Coogan and Brooke O'Neill finished third, while St Coca's narrowly missed out on medals despite an excellent leg from Maya Rus.
Newbridge AC returned to the top of the podium in the U15 relay thanks to Patrick Guther, Mia Doughty, Charlie McCabe and Ailbhe Byrne.
St Coca's AC, represented by Matthew Ennis, Lucy Doolan, Eoghan McNerney and May Hughes, claimed silver, while Crookstown-Millview and Celbridge AC shared the bronze medals after dead-heating for third place.
Newbridge AC claimed victory in the U17 Mixed 4x1,000m relay through Oisin Byrne, Kate Hargaden, Ruaidhri Archbold and Robyn Browne, finishing nine seconds ahead of Naas AC.
Naas AC enjoyed better fortune in the senior race, with Ruby Jo Cowdell, Emer O'Reilly, Matthew Keane and Elliot Moran taking gold ahead of the Newbridge quartet of Alexander Guther, Eve Dowling, Jamie O'Brien and Elsa Browne. Naas AC's second team secured bronze.
The Masters Cross-Country Championships took place alongside the relay programme, with St Coca's AC claiming the women's team title and Newbridge AC taking men's team honours.
Claire Foley (St Coca's) won the women's O35 race ahead of Marianne Maguire, while Linda Early (Celbridge) finished third. Sinead Rielly (St Coca's) claimed O45 gold, with Aoife Mooney and Cara O'Toole of Celbridge taking silver and bronze respectively.
Emma Lark completed a hat-trick of individual titles for St Coca's by winning the O50 category. Those performances helped St Coca's secure team gold ahead of Celbridge and St Coca's B.
In the men's races, Chris O'Sullivan and Dave Courtney gave Naas AC a one-two in the O35 category, while Newbridge's Rob McCabe and Iosef Guther finished first and second in the O40 division.
Tom O'Leary (Celbridge) won the O45 title, while Naas athletes Dave Browne and Henry Reid took O50 and O55 honours respectively. Pat Malone (Newbridge) was first home in the O60 race.
The Newbridge team of Rob McCabe, Iosef Guther and Toby Ruffer captured men's team gold ahead of Naas and St Coca's.
