19-year-old Ava Crean, from Raheen, County Limerick, has won the Women’s National Title at this year’s Dublin Marathon.
Ava Crean completed the 42.2-kilometre course in 2:34:12, setting a personal best by more than nine minutes. Representing the Back 2 Boston Running Club, Crean only began competitive running in April and the Dublin Marathon marked her third race over the distance.
Remarkable story at the Dublin Marathon where 19-year-old Ava Crean from Limerick takes the women’s national title in 2:34:12, a 9-minute PB – 6th overall.
Crean had never run competitively before signing up for the Manchester Marathon in April – listing her target time as 3:30. pic.twitter.com/pG8Lgal3ZM
— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) October 26, 2025
Her victory denied Ann-Marie McGlynn a third national title. McGlynn finished second and eighth overall. The pair ran together until the halfway point before Crean pulled away, building a lead of over 70 seconds on the defending champion.
“I can’t believe it,” Crean said after finishing. “I was aiming for 2:40 or 2:39, and to be able to do that today — I honestly couldn’t have done it without my coach.”
A past pupil of Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, the school congratulated her in a post on X.
Crean was one of 22,500 participants in the 44th edition of the Dublin Marathon. While she claimed the Irish title, the overall race was won by Ethiopian athlete Eebbissee Addunyaa in 2:26:28, followed by Kena Girma and Atsede Baysa.