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Irish smash records at Penn Relays

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By John Manley

PHILADELPHIA — St. Malachy’s of Belfast trekked to the Penn Relays where they won the High School Boys Distance Medley Championship for the third straight year, setting a meet record in the process. The foursome ran the event in 9 minutes, 59.84 seconds, eclipsing the standard of 10:00.9, set by Willingboro, N.J., and Bernards, N.J., in 1983.

Taking to the Franklin Field track for St. Malachy’s (with their respective splits) were Joe McAlister (3:02.3), Joe Hendry (52.6), Francis McCaffrey (1:53.5) and Conor Sweeney (4:11.4). Far back in second place was Shenendehowa High of Clifton Park, N.Y., which was along in 10:13.45. The national record for the event is 9:53.31, set by McCullough High of Woodlands, Texas, in 1987.

Another St. Malachy’s runner, Thomas Frazer contested the High School Boys Mile Run Championship. Frazer placed seventh in 4:22.61 in a race won by Tommy Bonn of Lockhart (Texas) High School in 4:11.70.

John McDonnell’s Arkansas Razorbacks ran to victory in both the College Men’s Distance Medley Championship and the College Men 4xMile Championship. The Razorbacks were overpowering in the latter event, finishing almost 20 seconds ahead of runner-up, Georgetown, with a winning time of 16:07.96.

In the Distance Medley, Arkansas came in at 9:32.81, two seconds ahead of Southern Methodist. The winning time was over 12 seconds off the national and meet records, which were set simultaneously by Arkansas here in 1989.

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Coach McDonnell is a native of Crossmolina, Co. Mayo.

Princeton University’s Hugh Kennedy had the winning throw in the College Men Hammer Throw Championship. The Dubliner lofted the implement 59.80 meters.

Dublin’s Pat McGrath, formerly of Manhattan College, placed sixth in the Olympic Development Men Hammer Throw. McGrath’s best toss was 65.08. Jud Logan’s heave of 72.28 meters was good for the win.

Sinead Delahunty nearly pulled out a victory in the Olympic Development

Women 5,000 meters for women. The Providence University grad finished second to Gina Procaccio, who stopped the teletimer in 16:01.18. Delahunty’s time was 16:01.85.

Also seen on the Franklin Field oval were Keith Kelly of Providence College, by way of Drogheda, who finished 13th in the College Men 5,000 meters Championship. Kelly came in at 14:15.04. Alabama’s Tim Broe won the event in 13:48.30.

In the College Men 5,000 meters (a "B" division of sorts), Providence’s Paul Reilly, from Loughrea, Co. Galway, finished fifth in 14:25.00. Iona’s Chris Longo got to the tape first in 14:15.72.

Another Iona man, Vinny Mulvey, from Ashbourne, Co. Meath, ran 22nd in the College Men 10,000 meter Championship with a clocking of 30:18.67. Life University’s Silah Misoi cruised to victory in 28:40.11.

Corkwoman Valerie Lynch was up from Western Kentucky to compete in the College Women 10,000 meter Championship. Her time of 35:51.47 was good for 12th place. Wisconsin’s Erica Palmer got the winner’s laurels, coming home in 34:03.60.

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