Mooney breaks new ground with 5000m PB
Offaly athlete Laura Mooney recently travelled to Philadelphia with the Providence College track squad to compete in the Penn Relays. And on April 26 at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia, Laura became the first Tullamore Harriers woman to go sub 16 minutes for 5000m.
In cold and windy conditions the race started at a steady pace. Laura, in the lead pack from the start, was able to stick with the fast pace and the laps clicked by between 75 and 77 seconds. Passing 3000m in 9:33, Laura was able to maintain her form in the closing stages for a fantastic new personal best of 15:59.23. Laura, who ran 33:00.20 for 10,000m recently, has made steady progress at the shorter distance of 5000m, running 16:19.43 in 2021 and 16:09.43 in 2022.
Mooney was also part of the Providence College women's track and field team which competed at the Friar Invitational at the Ray Treacy Track at Hendricken Field in Providence, Rhode Island recently. In tough conditions with very strong winds, the Cappincur native was a convincing winner of the 5000m in 16:29.36.
Having missed most of last year with injury, Laura has bounced back in style this spring, especially with this new 5000m PB. Of course she’s not finished yet and with a race in Kentucky and another in Philadelphia coming up, the young Tullamore Harriers athlete is excited about the further progress she can make.
In general, it’s been a busy few weeks for middle distance athletes from the Tullamore Harriers club as the outdoor track and field season kicks off and the indoor season comes to an end.
Ava O’Connor travelled with the Adams State squad to the Bryan Clay Invitational, a multi-day track and field competition held at Cougar Athletic Stadium in Azusa, California. Ava had not raced since the European Cross Country in early December so the races were in effect a rust buster. She ran 2:11.02 for 800m and 4:26.57 for 1500m on consecutive days.
Aaron Mangan was in California too and like Ava, raced in the 800m and 1500m, running 1:51.89 and 4:00.32 respectively. He was out again a week later for Fort Hays State University in Kearney, Nebraska running 800m again. This time he finished in 1:54.68.
Andrea Ryan was also racing recently, competing in the All-Ireland 1500m in Athlone. Finishing sixth in Ireland is a great achievement for the young Daingean woman who has so far had a great 2024 and is looking forward to more races in the months ahead.