Posted: 1 day ago

Roise Roberts and Emer McKee strike 5000m gold at the double in Irish championships

Emer McKee (left) and Roise Roberts in Tullamore

BY LEE MAGINNIS

NORTHERN Ireland athletes Roise Roberts and Emer McKee raced to a double 5000m success in the Irish U20 and U23 Championships,held at Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Roise Roberts, of the Candour Track Club, took gold in the U23 race in a time of 16:42.52 in a year which has already seen her compete at the European Cross Country Championships and go on to set a 5000m Personal Best just a few weeks ago. Roise is also the NI and Ulster reigning 5000m champion from 2024.

In the U20 race, Emer McKee, from Willowfield Temperance Harriers. ran 17:40.47 for gold. Famous for her World Best time for a 12 year old girl over 5K in 2022, Emer has already run a European Youth Olympics standard in the 3000m earlier this summer.