Griggs clocks 13:37 in the 5km and Haggard-Kearney runs a 9:07 in the women’s 3km on the night.
Irish athletes won the main races at the Armagh International Races on Thursday (February 12) with Nick Griggs winning the men’s 5km in 13:37 and Emily Haggard-Kearney the women’s 3km in 9:07.
Both athletes won convincingly on a course that has gained a reputation as one of the fastest in the world.
In total, an incredible 129 athletes broke the 15-minute barrier.
Griggs’ victory was also a record and the first by an Irish athlete here in 32 years.
A total of 23 runners also broke the 14 minute barrier.
Griggs, 21, is the reigning European under-23 champion and holds the “world record” time of 13:44.
“I live only 20 minutes away and have spent the last few years watching along The Mall,” he said. “It’s really, really special to do it in front of the home crowd. It’s a class and I felt the crowd behind me every lap.”
Second by a few seconds was Matthew Ramsden, one of many Britons who traveled in search of a fast time, with another Irish runner Callum Morgan third in 13:39.
Haggard-Kearney has been a regular on the program AW: a summary of inter-city results this winter, particularly as winners of Manchester League races.
Behind her, Danielle Donegan took second place with a time of 9:12, edging out Louise Shanahan by one second.
As well as the British and Irish, there were runners from as far afield as Australia, Sweden, France, Finland, Belgium and Poland.
