Hugh Armstrong of Ballina AC, Mayo, after the 2024 Irish Life Dublin Half Marathon which took place on Sunday, September 22 in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Mayo’s Hugh Armstrong became the first man to do a clean sweep of all four races in the Irish Life Dublin Race Series when winning the Dublin Half Marathon on Sunday morning.
Armstrong clocked 1:06:25 to coast to victory ahead of Peter Somba (1:09:08) and David Glynn (1:09:42). It rounded out an impressive winning streak on the roads for the 30-year-old, who had previously claimed victories at the Corkagh 5 Mile, Fingal 10K and Frank Duffy 10 Mile.
“They’re all very good races, well organised with lots of people in them,” said Armstrong, who runs for Ballina AC. “I’ve been planning to run the Irish Life Dublin Marathon since earlier this year, so I thought the series was good prep for that.”
Michelle Finn proved a class apart in the women’s race, the two-time Olympian clocking 1:15:45 to come home well clear of Caitlyn Harvey (1:17:55) and Fiona Stack (1:20:24). “I’m happy to get the win,” said Finn. “It was a good effort, good run and a nice race.”
Both Finn and Armstrong are part of the Dublin Track Club training group, coached by Feidhlim Kelly, and another two members of that group recorded victories at the Griffith Avenue Mile in Dublin on Sunday. Juan Ignacio Pena of Raheny AC took the men’s title in 4:04 ahead of Kevin McGrath (4:07) and Lorcan Benjacar (4:13). Cheryl Nolan was a dominant winner of the women’s race, the St Abban’s athlete clocking 4:48 ahead of Charlotte Myers (5:03) and Rachel Murphy (5:05).
