A decisive move at a crucial stage of the race paid rich dividends for 24-year-old Linda Byrne, who won the Flora Women's Mini Marathon on her debut on the rain-washed streets of Dublin yesterday.
"At the time, I was feeling good and decided to go for it," said Byrne afterwards, as she outlined the reasons for her move between the six and seven mark of the 10km event that took her into the lead.
She then called on all her reserves of strength to win in 34 minutes 29 seconds -- seven seconds faster than last year's winning time.
Byrne won by a diminishing margin of two seconds from DSD clubmate Maria McCambridge. Teresa McGloin was third in 34:36.
Elsewhere, Sergiu Ciobanu, the Moldovan who runs for Clonliffe Harriers and is the reigning national marathon champion, added the Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon title to his bow yesterday, defying the wet conditions to win in a new course record of 2:25.54.
Sligo's Lucy Brennan won her third Cork women's title in a row in 2:54.41.
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