Race History
History and Tradition
The Great Ireland Run is the country’s premier 10k run and was first staged in 2003.
Irish stars Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan were in top form at the Phoenix Park race and dominated from start to finish, O'Sullivan winning in a highly respectable 32min 24sec.
The men’s race was won by Australia’s Craig Mottram – the first of what was to be four triumphs in a row – some 31 seconds ahead of John Mayock and Seamus Power.
A thrilling team race based on the aggregate times of the first three finishers saw Ireland win in 92:12, four seconds ahead of England. Third place was claimed by Australia in 92:21.
Reigning champion and national heroine O'Sullivan suffered a shock defeat in 2004 when, running her first race of the year, she finished fourth, surrendering her title to 2003 runner-up McKiernan.
McKiernan broke away after less than three kilometres and went on to win in a time of 33:39 while Elana Fadeeva of Romania was second 11 seconds adrift and Portugal's Analia Rosa third in 34:02.
Mottram retained his men's title with a straightforward and runaway victory in 29:11, which gave him a 50-second advantage over Victor Almeida of Portugal with Northern Ireland's Andy Graffin narrowly behind in 30:04.
Ukraine won the team race ahead of Portugal with inaugural champions Ireland finishing third.
Mottram completed a hat-trick of wins in 2005 in an impressive 28:35 – nine second short of his course record time – which put him well ahead of second-placed Chris Davies.
Davies, back in serious action after falling off his bike and sustaining what was thought at first to be a broken back, showed good form with a respectable time of 29:07.
O'Sullivan was narrowly beaten in a tight finish in the women’s race by America's Amy Rudolph, who pulled away in the final 100m to set a course record of 32:16.
In 2006 Mottram flew to a fourth successive victory with a powerful display of front running, having taken charge of the race after 6km to race home in a time of 28:51.
Mark Kennealy and Mark Carroll, although unable to match the Aussie's powerful performance, delighted the thousands of home fans when clinching the other podium places in 29:17 amd 29:19 respectively.
Meselech Melkamu shattered Rudolph's course record with a brilliant display in the women’s event to clock 31:41 with fformer Olympic 10000m gold medallist Fernanda Ribeiro of Portugal second and Hungary's Aniko Kalovics third.
O'Sullivan, by now aged 37 and making her farewell road racing appearance on home Irish turf, put in a huge effort to try and win the 2007 women’s race but had to be content with 11th place. Victory went to her young training partner Victoria Mitchell, from Australia, who won in 33:06 ahead of Preston's Helen Clitheroe and Spain's Alessandra Auguilar.
2007 was also notable as it brought an end to Mottram’s amazing run in the men’s race after he gallantly failed to match the breakaway speed of Abraham Chebii, who beat the Aussie by 23seconds in a time of 28:47 with Spain's Chema Martinez third a further 19 seconds back.
There was another Kenyan women’s winner in 2008, Doris Changeywo edging out England’s Jo Pavey to win in 32:22 in tough conditions.
Chebii made it a double success for Kenya when defending his men’s title after a sprint finish with Abdullah Ahmad Hassan, which he won by just three seconds to record a time of 28:48.
Portuguese stars Rui Pedro Silva and Ana Dulce Felix surprised the pre-race favourites when winning their respective titles at the 2009 event.
Silva just held off the more fancied pair of Paul Tergat and the host nation's Martin Fagan in a thrilling sprint finish to triumph in a time of 28:45.
Felix put in a taxing uphill surge to edge clear of Mary Cullen and Jelena Prokopcuka and win in 32:18. Ireland's Cullen finished runner-up seven seconds behind while Prokopcuka placed third in 32:30.
Martin Fagan of Mullingar Harriers became the first Irish winner of the SPAR Great Ireland Run in 2010, scorching home in 29:17. Gary Thornton from Galway City Harriers was 19 seconds adrift in second while and Andrew Ledwith from the Father Murphy's club in Meath was third 12 seconds further back. Fagan made it look easy, breaking away from the field inside the first 5k and romping home untroubled.
Freya Murray from Scotland just edged British compatriot Jo Pavey in the women's race with Australia's Benita Willis third.
| Mens Winners |
Womens Winners |
| 2003 Craig Mottram (Australia) 28:36 |
2003 Sonia O’Sullivan (Ireland) 32:24 |
| 2004 Craig Mottram (Australia) 29:11 |
2004 Catherina McKiernan (Ireland) 33:39 |
| 2005 Craig Mottram (Australia) 28:35 |
2005 Amy Rudolph (USA) 32:16 |
| 2006 Craig Mottram (Australia) 28:51 |
2006 Meselech Melkamu (Ethiopia) 31:41 |
| 2007 Abraham Chebii (Kenya) 28:47 |
2007 Victoria Mitchell (Australia) 33:06 |
| 2008 Abraham Chebii (Kenya) 28:48 |
2008 Doris Changeywo (Kenya) 32:15 |
| 2009 Rui Pedro Silva (Portugal) 28:45 |
2009 Ana Dulce Felix (Portugal) 32:18 |
| 2010 Martin Fagan (Ireland) 29:17 |
2010 Freya Murray (Scotland) 32:30 |