By John Barrett
As the country still basks in the golden glow of impressive performances by Irish competitors at the European Athletic Championships in Munich, a Galbally couple have scored a major coup in bringing a major world event to this country.
Tom and Tricia Blackburn, founders of the successful local Mooreabbey Milers Athletics Club in Galbally, came up with the idea of bringing the 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships to Ireland while themselves competing in the event abroad.
A driving force
That was before the Covid-19 pandemic intervened but the Blackburns stuck with the plan and the event is now scheduled to take place in Clonmel from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September.
They would, of course, have loved it were possible to stage the championships in their native Galbally but the huge scale of the logistics involved, in providing accommodation and other facilities for hundreds of athletes from all over the world, means that the event will be hosted less than forty minutes down the road in Clonmel. The Mooreabbey Milers Athletics Club are heavily involved and a driving force in supporting race directors Tom and Tricha Blackburn.
Hundreds of athletes
Hundreds of athletes from all corners of the world, in addition to a substantial number from Ireland and Britain, will travel to participate in this prestigious event. This is the first time that the World Masters Mountain Running Championships will be hosted in the country, and it is expected to be a major success, bringing a large influx of tourists to Ireland. The championships were launched at a reception in the Town Hall, Clonmel, followed by a trial run of the course back in June. Tricha Blackburn this week told the Vale Star that it wouldn’t have been possible to even contemplate hosting such an event without the support of Mooreabbey Milers Athletics Club members and a huge team of other volunteers: “Sincere thanks to all our fellow club members and wider family in the Irish Mountain Running Association. It’s fantastic to have such professional people backing and working hard to make the event happen. We are all volunteers so the commitment has been huge and it will, hopefully, be an amazing success, “she said.
A dream come true
“It’s a dream come true for us, to be honest, but also a daunting prospect to be putting on such a spectacle. We have athletes coming from countries like Austria, Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Moldova, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Nigeria, Uganda, Hungary, with a major Irish participation as well. We would love if people from these countries would come and join the parade of nations on Friday evening 2nd September when assembly is at the West Gate, Clonmel from 6.30pm. They are also welcome to come and support athletes from their country on race day itself, Saturday 3rd September from 10am to 1.30pm. We will be providing a shuttle bus from the Hillview Sports Club to the mountain for anyone who wants to support the runners, “Tricha added. The 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships will take place on the Comeragh Mountains on the border of Tipperary and Waterford on Saturday 3rd September from 10am to 1.30pm, with the parade of athletes on the previous evening, Friday 2nd September and an open race on Sunday 3rd September. You can get all the details on the race website at www.wmmrch2022.ie