Silver medal for Tobin as Clonmel man misses out on Olympic standard

There was disappointment for Tipperary’s Seán Tobin at the Irish Athletics National Championships this afternoon.

The Clonmel man finished second in the men’s 5000-metre final in Santry, two seconds behind winner Hiko Tonosa of the Dundrum South Dublin club.

The front-two took an early lead and ran two-hundred metres ahead of the field for the majority of the race, swapping positions throughout the race before Tonosa took the lead on the final bend.


Despite finishing among the medals, there was disappointment on Tobin’s face after crossing the line as a win and a quicker time would’ve secured him a place at next month’s Olympic Games.

Tobin’s time of 13 minutes and 54 seconds was 27 seconds faster than third placed Neil Johnston of Annadale Striders.