CORK’S LIZZIE LEE was elated following her third place finish at the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon on Sunday afternoon.
Her time of 2:35:04, less than two minutes short of winner Mesera Dubiso, saw the 38-year-old crowned the Irish women’s national champion for this year following a sensational display in the 26.2 mile race.
“An Irish woman on the overall podium, I am thrilled with that,” she said afterwards, with her performance the fastest by an Irish woman since 2014.
“I am thrilled with the time, I am thrilled with the place and I know my little girl is out there somewhere — I can’t wait to give her a hug. I needed redemption after Berlin. I felt like the last few miles got away from me. I am absolutely over the moon.”
Lee, an Olympian who represented Ireland at the Rio Games in 2016, won the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon in June and admitted that being recognised alongside full-time marathon runners on Sunday was an accomplishment she was immensely proud of.
“I am a mum of two small girls and I work full time,” she said. “Running is my hobby and I am on a podium with two Ethiopian girls.
“Every second step I was getting a shout of ‘Lizzie’ or ‘Leevale’. From the RDS on I felt like everyone else was doing the running for me.”
Ethopian duo Asefa Bekele and Mesera Dubiso were the winners in the men’s and women’s races at the 2018 Dublin Marathon on Sunday, with Lee and Olympian Mick Clohisey claiming the Irish national titles.
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