Sport

Travers and Mageean start the year in winning form

Kiernan- trained athletes put in winning performances at Tom Brennan 5km race in Phoenix Park

John Travers: he eventually got the better of defending champion John Coghlan. Photograph: INPHO/James Crombie
John Travers: he eventually got the better of defending champion John Coghlan. Photograph: INPHO/James Crombie
Fri Jan 02 2015 - 01:00

John Travers and Ciara Mageean enjoyed the perfect start to the 2015 season with winning performances at the annual Tom Brennan 5km road race in the Phoenix Park , much to the enjoyment of their coach Jerry Kiernan.

Kiernan has been coaching both for the last couple of years, guiding Mageean back from a career-threatening foot injury which forced her out of competition for almost two years. Now, after making an impressive comeback towards the end of last season, Mageean’s new season can’t roll on fast enough.

Running in windy conditions, Mageean clocked a winning time of 16 minutes 23 seconds. The 20 year-old from Down, competing in the colours of UCD, never once looking fully tested.

Chasing her home in second, clocking 17:22, was veteran Catherina McKiernan. Leona O’Reillly from host club Liffey Valley was third.

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For Travers the victory was a little harder earned as he got the better of defending champion John Coghlan. Travers, running for Donore Harriers, was clocked at 14:43, with Coghlan (son of Eamonn) 12 seconds behind in 14:55. Third place went to triathlon specialist Bryan Keane, running in the colours of Leevale AC.