February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mark Jones
DUBLIN — Age appears to be no impediment, if Anne Keenan-Buckley’s recent form is anything to go by. The 40-year-old defeated a quality field in Sunday’s Ras na hEireann cross-country race at Dunleer, Co. Louth, and is now performing better than when she competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Keenan-Buckley burst away from her challengers, who included the American champion, Priscilla Hein, over the final 100 meters to win the 5-kilometer event in 14 minutes and 51 seconds. Hein came in second, with Ireland’s Rosemary Ryan in third.
“There’s just no comparison between the quality of the training I’m doing now and what I did years ago,” said Keenan-Buckley. “I train just once a day, but now I run longer and faster.”
Meanwhile, Seamus Power’s bid to retain the men’s 8k title came unstuck when he was outsprinted over the last 400 meters by Matt O’Dowd of England, who won in 21:45, with Ethiopia’s Dagne Alemu second and Power faltering to third.
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