Rain and records fall in Connemarathon success

THE record fell like nine pins despite the weather as over 4,000 athletes of all shapes and sizes took on the challenge of the Connemarathon, an event now well established as a fixture on the international calendar.Sunday marked the eighth year of the officially titled Fáilte Ireland Connemara International Marathon, with over 4,000 recorded entries from over 40 countries from Brazil to New Zealand.Personal bests and achievements were the order of the day; but the achievement of the day really had to go to Donegal’s Helena Crossen who knocked twelve minutes of the Ultra Marathon record she set in Connemara last year finishing in a world class time of 4:40:12.Speaking after the race, Helena commented that the course was mentally very challenging but once she got through Leenane she knew the record was on. One of Kenya’s elite athletes Lezan Kimutai, was the winner of the Men’s Half Marathon in a time of 1:08:27. Lezan was a worthy and popular winner, having travelled from a situation of great political turmoil in Kenya where he and his family were dispelled from his home. Following...........................