Donore Harriers has a new national champion in the shape of 13 years old sensation Fathi Aden. Born in Somalia and a student at Synge Street School young Fathi ran a tactically brilliant race at the National Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships at Dundalk IT on Sunday (23/11/14). Tracking a lead group of about 12 athletes through the opening kilometre lap in the Boys under 14s race ensured that he was always in contention. As the race continued through the second longer 2 kilometres lap the lead group reduced in numbers. There were 5 in contention as the race hit the short steep incline with 600 metres to go. Cormac O’Rourke of Lagan Valley AC was having a great run. Jake Bagge, the Munster champion and one of the pre-race favourites was also in contention – as was Tony McCambridge of North Belfast Harriers. The Donore star was 5^th, but only a couple of metres back. As the race reached a short incline at the top of the bend for the last time young Fathi made the winning move and raced away from his pursuers over the final 250 metres. At the finish banner he had 20 metres to spare over O’Rourke with Bagge a couple of metres further back.

This was only Fathi Aden’s fifth competitive race and he is already Dublin and National champion. Gerry Naughton, his coach, gave the opinion that: “Fathi Aden is probably the most naturally gifted young distance runner in Ireland today. He also listens and executes race tactics to perfection. A mark of a great champion in the making…”

Fathi’s win was crucial to the Dublin team (144) in the county championship as they had just 6 points to spare over second-placed Cork (150). Mayo (204) came third.

There was also a county team medal for Suzanne Masterson in the Girls under 16s race over 4km. Suzanne, also in her first season, was a scoring member of the Dublin team (107) that won gold medals ahead of Wicklow (131) and Cork (215). She was lying in 28^th place at the end of the first of the 2 kilometres circuit, but faded in the latter stages to cross the line in 36^th position. Eliza NiThighearnaigh placed a disappointing 71^st in the same race, obviously not  comfortable with the soft, muddy ground conditions.

Sekeriye Ahmed stepped-up an age group to compete in the Boys under 16s race over 4km. He ran the race to gain experience and placed a creditable 80^th.

Results in brief:

National Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships at Dundalk IT (23/11/14)

Boys u/14s 3000m: 1^st Fathi Aden (gold medal on winning Dublin county team)

Girls u/16s 4000m: 36^th Suzanne Masterson (gold medal on winning Dublin county team); 71^st Eliza NiThighearnaigh

Boys u/16s 4000m: 80^th Sekeriye Ahmed

In the senior races, Barbara Cleary was 15th in the women’s race and Caoimhin Kelly who was 12th in the U23 race and Darren Hand in men’s race.  Great runs in Nottingham at the British and Irish masters, Jim McNamara was 2nd M75 and many team medals- well done Ann Woodlock 6th W70 , Anne Curley 14th W40 , John Dunne 7th M35 , Niall Lynch 8th M40, Joe Maguire 7th M75, Terry Mee  10th M70 and Barry Potts 8th M65. 

Martina 1st lady in Waterston Parkrun and Sam 1st lady in Tymon Parkrun, well done Rhona (41:20) for 3rd in Off the Laois 10k and George Brady was 4th in the Half marathon with 1:20:28.