Armagh International Road Race

This has come about through the incredible in-depth, consistent standard of the Men’s 5k over many years. This has been highlighted by the fact that no other race brings together so many athletes running under 15 minutes – in the 2020 race there were 139 runners who recorded sub-15 times! The event is organised by Armagh Athletic Club and attracts athletes of the highest elite standards from all over the world – last time out no fewer than 191 of the 237 finishers were from outside the island of Ireland, and incidentally the winner in 2019, Topi Raitanen of Finland took gold in the European Steeplechase of 2022 and came back to Armagh in 2024 to claim victory here for the second time. The Women’s International 3k too, continues to attract some of the finest athletes from around the world, with the 2018 winner and record-breaker, Laura Weightman going on to take the bronze medal in the European Championship 1500M, while the winner and new record-holder from 2020, Denmark’s Anna Emilie Moller was European Under-23 Cross-country champion in 2019. The slick delivery of the programme contributes to the excitement and atmosphere as runners of all ages and abilities speed round the Mall cheered on by the spectators and encouraged all the way by the ringing voice of the commentator. The course is flat and fast and the competition at every level is of the keenest, giving runners the opportunity to run personal best times.