While rain, hail and snow battered Fermanagh on Sunday morning, Enniskillen woman Irene Clements took to the start line in the first event of the European Masters Indoor Championships in sunny Braga in Portugal.
Clements, who was taking part in the women’s 55 plus cross country race over the six kilometre distance, started strongly and was nicely positioned as she clicked off the demanding laps one by one.
As the athletes got the bell, the Enniskillen runner was in fifth position overall.
During the final, there was no change in order until the athletes entered the finishing straight where fellow Irish athlete Kay Byrne, running in the over 55 category, pipped Clements for fifth place.
As the results filtered through on the screen, it showed that the Clones athlete had placed second in the over 60 age group behind Spain’s Marisol Ramos Leon with Portugal’s Helena Mourao taking bronze.
Clements was delighted with her result in Braga, saying;
“I’m honoured to be the first Irish athlete to win a medal at these championships.
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