Cork’s Aoife Cooke qualifies for Olympics but heartache for Ann-Marie McGlynn at Cheshire Elite Marathon

Aoife Cooke. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Sean McGoldrick

April 25 2021 12:55 PM

Cork native Aoife Cooke has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after a sensational performance in today’s Cheshire Elite Marathon. The 34-year-old clocked 2:28.36, comfortably inside the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:29.30.

But there was heartbreak for another Irish marathoner Ann-Marie McGlynn who was four seconds short of the standard despite running a big personal best.

The marathon, which was run over a seven and a half lap flat course close to Chester, was specially organised for elite runners aiming to hit the Tokyo standard.

A talented underage athlete, Cooke went on an athletic scholarship to the United States but it wasn’t until she switched to the marathon that she found her true calling.

She underlined her potential in the 2019 Dublin marathon when she won the AAI national title in 2:32.34, a 14-minute improvement on her previous best time. Today's result places Cooke, who is a member of Eagle Athletic Club, fourth on the Irish all-time list, just ahead of Sonia O'Sullivan

Prior to today's marathon she last raced in February 2020 in a 10-mile race in Waterford. But she timed her training to perfection and will now join Ireland's other qualifier Fionnuala McCormack in the Olympic women's marathon in Sapporo. McCormack qualified for her fourth Olympics after she ran 2:26.47 in the 2019 Chicago marathon.

But while the race brought joy to Cooke it was heart breaking for McGlynn who clocked 2:29.34. Her previous best was 2:32.54. But cruelly it was four seconds shy of the Olympic standard.