Drogheda & District AC is celebrating a famous win for Colin Leonard on Sunday morning at the Great Ireland Run in Dublin's Phoenix Park.

Colin - who trains with such focus, hard work and dedication - claimed the top spot ahead of some 2,000 plus runners and, despite some hot competition he effortlessly left the others behind coming up to the third Kilometre of the 10K race and stayed ahead right to the finish line!

The modest and unassuming Colin is a much-admired local schoolteacher and his hard work and dedication paid off with this stunning win. The winning time hardly matters - 33min 22sec - it was all in a days work for Colin who looks forward to helping to facilitate Drogheda's 'Darkness into Light' coming up shortly.

Also running at the Great Ireland run were Robbie Farrell (45:44), Darren Maguire (49:28) Emmet Steenson (51:00) and Gerry McGeogh (58:29).

Earlier in the week Colin Dyas spectacularly took second place at the Garda national Cross country championships also in the Phoenix Park. The even took place on a sunny Monday evening on a very tough dry course- Colins performance was good enough to qualify for the European police cross country championships in Soest, Netherlands.

Earlier in the week Paul Kierans was the outright winner with a personal best of 17 minutes 57 seconds at the DKIT 5K in Dundalk. Paul is becoming the form runner - he has been training very smartly this year and Wednesday’s win comes on the back of strong runs at the Oldbridge parkrun and Dunboyne 10K. 

The 5K started simultaneously with the 10K in which Paul Smith (33min 20 seconds)and Brian Martin (33min 32 seconds) worked nicely together for clear 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The course takes a testing though scenic route through Blackrock but the delightful sunny evening and afters were enjoyed by all. Eimear Knowles is on great form and she set a new personal best time of 42 minutes 24 seconds. Andrea McArdle had the most outstanding run of the day as she knocked a whopping minute and a half offer personal best to finish in a time of 44 minutes 11 seconds.  Fatih Zitouche also ran well, completing the distance in 41 minutes 19 seconds and Alan Foley wasn't far behind in 42 minutes 30 seconds.

Meanwhile in the US, wonderful news as local man Matthew O'Shea set a new personal best in the 800 meters race at the US Collegiate outdoor Track and Field Invitational at Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee.

The youngster tore up the home straight only and narrowly beaten to second place in a time of 1 minute 55.82 seconds.

At the Irish University Track and Field Championships at Morton Stadium in Santry, Chris Keenan finished just outside two minutes and Sophie Kinsella was 8th in the Women's 400 metre final.

Well done also to Beatrice Cunningham who came 3rd in the Meath Schools 800m during the week.

Last but not least John Perkins was the envy of many as he had a magnificent run at the Schnedier Paris marathon, finishing in style with a time of 3 hours 30 min 55 seconds.