Stunning masters mark kicks off our international round-up plus news of strong womens performances in Spain and a fast marathon in the UAE

National Indoor League, Abbotstown, Dublin, January 6

Shane Healy smashed Guenther Hasselmanns M55 3000m world indoor mark of 8:58.7 set 44 years ago with a brilliant 8:47.71.

Whats more, Healy ran quicker than the world outdoor M55 record of 8:56.80 set by Keith Bateman of Australia in 2010.

The British best is Guy Brackens 9:03.34 in 2017.

The Irishman who ran a 4:01.76 M50 1500m indoor world record in 2023 at the age of 54 had recently run an exceptional 5km although the course was found to be well short. However, Healy would have comfortably set a record time had it been the correct distance.

His all-time PBs are 800m of 1:47.88, 1500m of 3:35.29 (set in Brussels in 1997) and 3000m in 7:52.66.

Namesake and womens international Phil Healy ran a 23.43/53.18 200m and 400m double.

Men: 3000: 1 Jonas Stafford 8:04.95; 2 Daniel Stone 8:19.32; 3 Stephen Fay 8:25.10; 4 Christopher Keenan 8:41.76; 5 Luke Duffy 8:43.10; 6 Shane Healy 8:47.71

Women: 200 Race 1: 1 Phil Healy 23.43
400 Race 1: 1 Phil Healy 53.18

Dubai Marathon, UAE,  January 7

For a report of the first big marathon of 2024 click here.

Men: Mar: 1 Addisu Gobena ETH 2:05:01; 2 Lemi Dumecha ETH 2:05:20; 3 Dejane Megersa ETH 2:05:42; 4 Abdi Fufa ETH 2:06:23; 5 Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu GER 2:06:27; 6 Antenayehu Danachew ETH 2:06:55; 7 Douglas Chebii KEN 2:08:15; 8 Tesfaye Ambesa ETH 2:08:25; 9 Bayelign Teshager ETH 2:08:56; 10 Abebaw Muniye ETH 2:09:09; 11 Abebaw Desalew ETH 2:09:11; 12 Asefa Mengisa ETH 2:09:35; 13 Challa Gossa ETH 2:10:22; 14 Samuel Tsegay SWE 2:11:42; 15 Polat Kemboi Arıkan TUR 2:12:37; 16 Embay Goitom ETH 2:13:07; 17 Hailemariam Atsebha ETH 2:13:29; 18 Sisay Fekadu ETH 2:14:20; 19 Ketema Behailu ETH 2:16:22; 20 Chala Gurmessa ETH 2:18:06

Women: Mar: 1 Tigist Ketema ETH 2:16:07; 2 Ruti Aga ETH 2:18:09; 3 Dera Dida ETH 2:19:29; 4 Melat Kejeta GER 2:21:47; 5 Amid Jemal ETH 2:21:53; 6 Shitaye Eshete BRN 2:21:55; 7 Atalel Anmut ETH 2:22:23; 8 Betelihem Afenigus ETH 2:25:57; 9 Emebet Niguse ETH 2:27:15; 10 Nurit Yimam ETH 2:28:28; 11 Chernet Misganaw ETH 2:32:10; 12 Anna Yusupova AZE 2:42:32; 13 Kate Jordan GBR 2:58:41; 14 Gillian Clarke IRL 3:02:23; 15 Ivana Di Martino ITA 3:03:33

Xiamen Marathon, China, January 7

Men: Mar: 1 Asefa Boki ETH 2:06:46; 2 Felix Kirwa KEN 2:06:52; 3 Othmane El Goumri MAR 2:07:18; 4 Adane Kebede ETH 2:09:21; 5 Alene Mekonen ETH 2:10:33; 6 Dong Guojian 2:10:38; 7 Shadrack Kiptanui KEN 2:11:48; 8 Solomon Yego KEN 2:13:11; 9 Henok Tesfay ERI 2:13:31; 10 Norbert Kigen KEN 2:13:35; 11 He Jie 2:14:17; 12 Kenneth Keter KEN 2:14:33; 13 Sangji Dongzhi 2:14:46; 14 Li Zicheng 2:15:09; 15 Yang Dinghong 2:15:34; 16 Yin Shujin 2:15:47; 17 Luo Guoshun 2:16:28; 18 Liao Shunhu 2:17:35; 19 Feng Mingyuan 2:17:51; 20 Tao Wang 2:18:15

Women: Mar: 1 Gudeta Bekelech ETH 2:22:54; 2 Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi MAR 2:24:12; 3 Zhang Deshun 2:26:53; 4 Ayana Mulisa ETH 2:27:00; 5 Veronica Maina KEN 2:29:42; 6 Gulume Tollesa ETH 2:34:00; 7 Huang Xuemei 2:35:18,

Juan Muguerza Cross-Country, Elgóibar, Spain, January 7

Niamh Brown was a fine fourth and Sarah Astin finished fifth and Lauren Hall sixth but the English mens team failed to arrive due to cancelled flights to Spain.

Berihu Aregawi and Beatrice Chebet provided quality victories in one of the premier cross-country races on the calendar.

Men: XC: 1 Berihu Aregawi ETH 30:34; 2 Rodrigue Kwizéra BDI 30:39; 3 Soufiane El Bakkali MAR 30:41; 4 Ishmael Kipkurui KEN 30:43; 5 Adel Mechaal 30:47; 6 Nassim Hassaous 31:27; 7 Daniel Arce 31:40; 8 Abderrahmane Afendi MAR 31:42; 9 David Bascuñana 32:20; 10 Mario Mola 32:22; 11 Miguel Baidal 32:28; 12 Yago Rojo 32:39; 13 Rubén Leonardo 32:40; 14 Fernando Carro 32:52; 15 Jaime Migallón 32:54; 16 Marc Fernandez 32:58; 17 Unai Arroyo 33:00; 18 Mario Priego 33:05; 19 Laurens Vanderlinden BEL 33:11; 20 Mario Monreal 33:26

Women: XC: 1 Beatrice Chebet KEN 26:08; 2 Edina Jebitok KEN 26:10; 3 Grace Loibach Nawowuna KEN 26:25; 4 Niamh Brown GBR 27:55; 5 Sarah Astin GBR 28:06; 6 Lauren Hall GBR 28:12; 7 Carolina Robles 28:26; 8 Isabel Barreiro 28:32; 9 Irene Sánchez-Escribano 28:32; 10 Asmarech Anlay ETH 28:44; 11 Emine Hatun Mechaal TUR 30:08; 12 Jone Zabaleta 30:16; 13 Onditz Iturbe 30:30; 14 Miren Martin 31:10; 15 Oihane Irusta 31:44; 16 Teresa Herráez 31:47; 17 Vanesa Pacha 31:54; 18 Ainara Alcuaz 32:15; 19 Elena Villanueva 34:21; 20 Henar Etxeberria 34:23; Lauren McNeil GBR DNF

San Giorgio su Legnano, Italy, January 6

Men: XC: 1 Daniel Ebenyo KEN 29:16; 2 Oscar Chelimo UGA 29:22; 3 Yves Nimubona RWA 29:44; 4 Egide Ntakarutimana BDI 29:53; 5 Célestine Ndikumana BDI 29:54; 6 Guillaume Grimard BEL 30:13; 7 Mohamed Amine Jihnaoui TUN 30:13; 8 Iliass Aouani 30:31; 9 Pasquale Selvarolo 30:39; 10 Luca Alfieri 30:44

Women XC: 1 Francine Niyomukunzi BDI 19:42; 2 Nadia Battocletti 19:46; 3 Giovanna Selva 20:31; 4 Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth HUN 20:50; 5 Rebecca Lonedo 21:00; 6 Michela Cesarò 21:27; 7 Sara Nestola 21:30; 8 Neide Dias ANG 21:57; 9 Adele Roatta 22:23; 10 Rihab Dhahri TUN 22:29