Championship Glory and Spectacular Silver for Northern Ireland at the Anglo Celtic Plate 100k 2026

The Northern Irish contingent delivered huge performances across the board, culminating in a magnificent second-place overall finish for the men’s team, alongside individual championship glory and stunning displays of perseverance from the women's team. Magnificent Men's Silver and Standout Times Taking on 100 kilometres is a profound test of human endurance, balancing speed and grit, and the Northern Ireland men's squad rose to the occasion to secure team Silver against top-tier competition:

• Jarlath McKenna: Leading the charge with a masterclass in pacing, McKenna secured a brilliant second place overall, crossing the finish line in a breathtaking time of 6:37:47.
• Fabian Devlin: Delivering the race of his life, Devlin obliterated his previous records by shaving off a massive 28 minutes to secure a new Personal Best of 7:21:35.
• Nick Weston: Making a "flying debut" at the 100k distance, Weston showed zero rookie nerves, powering his way into the top 10 with a phenomenal finishing time of 7:24:21.
• Tim Brownlie & Dave Andrews: In an ultra-marathon team event where every single mile counts, Brownlie and Andrews anchored the squad with incredibly strong, resilient performances. Brownlie stopped the clock at 7:34:04, while Andrews followed up with a highly commendable 8:06:02.

Phenomenal Perseverance from the Women’s Team The female squad matched that energy with incredibly strong performances of their own, demonstrating phenomenal endurance and grit over the gruelling distance:

• Lou McLoughlin: Ran a superb race to cross the line in 9:05:19. Her stellar effort earned her a Bronze in the Irish Championship and a fantastic Gold in the Northern Ireland Championship.
• Karen Wilton: Showcased great strength, striding to a commanding finish in 9:26:47 to take Northern Irish Silver.
• Susan McCartney & Laura Grimes: Both athletes deeply impressed with their unwavering perseverance and endurance. Susan finished in 9:45:23, while Laura bravely conquered the 100k test in 11:10:23.

Northern Ireland and Ulster 100k Championship results adding to the weekend's prestige, the race also incorporated the Northern Ireland and Ulster 100k Championship. The podiums saw a fantastic mix of Northern Ireland and Team Ireland athletes taking home the honours:

First in the Men's event was Jarlath McKenna (Northern Ireland) – 6:37:47 2. Matthew Collins (Team Ireland) – 7:15:04 3. Fabian Devlin (Northern Ireland) – 7:21:35 Female Championship. In first place, Lou McLoughlin (Northern Ireland) – 9:05:19 2. Karen Wilton (Northern Ireland) – 9:26:47 3. Julie McNamee (Team Ireland) – 9:32:20

Northern Ireland and Ulster 50k Championship Results The weekend’s successes weren't just limited to the 100k distance, as the event also proudly hosted the 50k Northern Ireland and Ulster Championship. A massive congratulations goes to Sean Nickell, who delivered a stellar, perfectly paced performance to claim the championship title, crossing the finish line in a winning time of 4:27:25. A heartfelt congratulations to Jarlath, Fabian, Nick, Tim, Dave, Lou, Karen, Susan, Laura, and the entire supporting crew. To compete at this elite pace requires a special calibre of athlete, and you have all done Northern Ireland incredibly proud!