Ava Crean
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Irish |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Long-distance running |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | Marathon: 2:34:12 (Dublin, 2025) |
Ava Crean is an Irish long-distance runner. In 2025, Crean became the youngest Irish national champion in the women's marathon, at the age of 19 years-old, in only her third race at the distance.[1]
Biography
Crean is from Mungret in County Limerick.[2][3] Crean took part in climbing, karate and camogie in her youth as well as playing basketball, and was a member of the Irish U-17 national basketball team academy.[4][5]
Crean started running to stay fit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but initially completed most of her training on a treadmill, saying that she "didn't want to run outside because I was kind of embarrassed".[6] After the pandemic, she enrolled in an exercise science degree at University Academy 92, in Greater Manchester, England.[4][5]
Crean made her marathon debut at the Manchester Marathon in April 2025, listing her target time as 3:30 but finishing close to an hour faster in 2:49.[7][4] In May, she ran her second marathon with a time of 2:43:26 in Limerick.[8] She became a member of Back 2 Boston running club in Limerick, and coached by John Kinsella.[7][6]
In September 2025, Crean, won the Charleville Half Marathon in 1:15:22, and then the Manchester Half Marathon in 1:14:06.[5] In October 2025, at the age of 19 years-old, Crean won the Irish national title at the Dublin Marathon, in a time of 2:34:11 with which she placed sixth overall, and was a nine-minute personal best.[9] The time put her second on the Irish women's marathon 2025 list behind Fionnuala McCormack, and placed her 13th on the Irish all-time list.[4] She also became the youngest ever winner of the Irish women's national marathon title.[2]
References
- ^ "Ava Crean". World Athletics. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ a b Lynch, Richard (26 October 2025). "Limerick's Ava Crean becomes youngest ever Irish National Marathon Champion in Dublin". Ilovelimerick.ie. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ Nolan, Oisin (29 October 2025). "Limerick's Dublin Marathon hero has strong link to Manchester United legends". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 2 Nov 2025.
- ^ a b c d Dehaney, Cathal (26 October 2025). "Limerick teenager Ava Crean produces masterclass to win national title in Dublin Marathon". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Dehaney, Cathal (25 October 2025). "Teenager Ava Crean breaking all the rules in latest push for Dublin Marathon title". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Crean 'still in shock' after marathon achievement". RTE. 27 Oct 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ a b Burnhill, Eleanor (27 Oct 2025). "Limerick teen first Irish woman home in Dublin Marathon". RTE. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ Duff, Martin (28 March 2025). "TEENAGER AVA CREAN WINS IRISH MARATHON TITLE IN DUBLIN". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ^ "MCGLYNN AND CREAN CLAIM DEBUT NATIONAL MARATHON TITLES IN 44TH DUBLIN MARATHON". Athletics Ireland. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.