Sir Mo Farah the star in Larne for Antrim Coast meeting

Sir Mo Farah led a feast of record-breaking runs at the P & O Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Larne - with Allcomers, Northern Ireland and World Age Group times all being breached.
Sir Mo Farah’s appearance at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon proved a big draw for eight-year-old Mia Duddy and other fans. Pic by PressEye Ltd.Sir Mo Farah’s appearance at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon proved a big draw for eight-year-old Mia Duddy and other fans. Pic by PressEye Ltd.
Sir Mo Farah’s appearance at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon proved a big draw for eight-year-old Mia Duddy and other fans. Pic by PressEye Ltd.

Four men had gone clear by half distance with quadruple Olympic champion Farah, British 5,000 gold medallist Marc Scott, former Armagh winner Ben Connor and local star Stephen Scullion clear of a group including another home hope in Kevin Seaward.

Farah and Scott then moved away, with Farah breaking as they came onto the promenade. He came home strongly, showing no signs of fatigue after his World Hour record to cross the line in an Allcomers record of 60:27.

Scott, in his first-ever Half Marathon, ran 60:39 with Connor 60:55 and Scullion smashing the Northern Ireland record in fourth with 61:08.

Kevin Seaward was a brilliant fifth in 63:05, Chris Madden came 18th with Conan McCaughey 21st.

Tommy Hughes followed his World O60 10-miles record last week with another new standard of 71:09, coming over the line in great shape.

Lily Partridge - the women’s favourite - and Sam Harrison went through half distance 14 seconds ahead of Clara Evans and Becky Briggs and it was Partridge who took the honours by 22 seconds from Harrison, with Evans and Briggs following.

The winning time of 71:36 was another Allcomers record.

Jessica Craig ran impressively to set a Personal Best of 75:45 in sixth.

Gladys Ganiel came 10th and Ciara Toner 12th.

Farah was full of praise for the course, welcome and support.

He now heads for a pacemaker role at the London Marathon in Hyde Park.

Also over the weekend, there were some good performances in the Northern Ireland and Ulster Track and Field Championships at the Mary Peters Track.

Lauren Roy had a sprint double and Dean Adams retained his 100 crown, with Adam Sykes 22.46 and Craig Newell 49.31 winning 200 and 400 respectively.

Laura Frey had a busy day winning 100 and 400 hurdles and shot before coming second to Victoria Lightbody over 400.

Katie Kirk had a classy 800 win in 2:07.00 ahead of Ciara Toner, who won the 1500.

Jonny Whan led all the way in the men’s 1500 with second-placed Andrew Milligan later taking the 800.

The 5000s were good with James Edgar adding this title to his 10,000 crown after battling with Neil Johnston and Eoghan Totten.

Nakita Burke took the Ladies from Grace Carson and long-term leader Kerry O’Flaherty.

The Steeplechase title was retained by Ethan Dunn.

Sommer Lecky and Lydia Mills won the High Jump and Long Jump with Ellen McCartney pole vaulting 3.95.

Adam Hill won the men’s High Jump, with Jai Benson taking the Triple and Adam McMullan (7.34) winning Long Jump from Ben Fisher (7.27).

James Kelly won the Shot, Brendan O’Donnell the Hammer and 50-year-old Damian Crawford added the Discus title to several other medals.