Ava Crean

Nineteen-year-old Limerick native Ava Crean produced one of the most remarkable performances of the year at the Irish Life Dublin Marathon held on 26 October 2025.

Despite having only taken up competitive running earlier this year, she claimed the Irish women’s national marathon title — and stunned the running world with a huge personal best. (athleticsweekly.com)

A meteoric rise

Crean’s journey into the sport is nothing short of extraordinary.

She only began running competitively this year, and her marathon debut came in the spring in Manchester Marathon in April. (Lovin.ie)

At that point her target was about 3 h 30 m, a modest goal for a first-timer. (Lovin.ie)

By the time she reached Dublin she had already improved substantially, and on race day she ran a stunning time of 2:34:11/12 to win the national title. (Irish Examiner)

Her previous best was around 2:43:38, meaning she shaved off more than nine minutes from that mark. (athleticsweekly.com)
She finished sixth overall in the event (among all women), but more importantly was the first Irish woman home. (limerickvoice.com)

Race day: the build-up and the battle

The marathon set-off from Leeson Street Lower in Dublin under cool, damp conditions. (Irish Examiner)

Crean was running for the club Back 2 Boston Running Club A.C. in Limerick (under coach John Kinsella) and had been preparing with increasing focus following her spring efforts. (I Love Limerick)

During the race she revealed the battle she was having:

“I was like ‘just keep pushing, just keep pushing.’ … My legs – when there was 5km left to go I was like I might have to stop. I was getting cramps…” (Dublin City FM -)

She spoke of battling not just physical pain but inner doubts:

“In my head, I was fighting demons the whole time. But I just kept pushing, kept pushing.” (The Sun)

By halfway (21.1 km) the split was around 1 h 17 m, with Crean and veteran Ann-Marie McGlynn almost together.

Then Crean built a gap of over 70 seconds by about 35 km. (limerickleader.ie)

Why this matters

• Being only 19 and having only recently started running competitively, her progression is remarkable. (athleticsweekly.com)

• Her win halts the dominance of more experienced Irish marathoners (for example McGlynn for the national title) and signals fresh blood for Irish distance running. (Lovin Dublin)

• The time itself — 2:34.11/12 — is outstanding for someone so new and indicates strong potential for further improvement.

• It sends a message about what is possible with the right combination of talent, coaching, commitment and belief.

What she said afterwards

In her own words, Crean was still digesting what she had achieved:

“I still can’t believe it.” (The Sun)
She credited her coach, family and friends:
“I couldn’t do it without my coach or my family or my friends.” (Dublin City FM -)

And she admitted that in the final stretch she was seriously questioning whether she could hold on:
“With ten kilometres to go, my legs seized up. I never felt so much lactate in my legs before.” (The Sun)

She also had lighter notes: she planned to celebrate with “pizza, burgers and doughnuts”. (Dublin City FM -)

What comes next?

For Crean the road ahead looks full of possibility. A few reflections:

• With a PB of 2:34 at 19, there is room for her to drop further time, especially as she gains experience.

• She’ll likely aim for more international races, perhaps stepping into European competition or higher-level marathons.

• The key will be to manage training, recovery (especially as she felt cramps towards the end), and avoid injury — the sudden rise means careful progression will be critical.

• With her background (starting running only recently, previously playing other sports) there may be less wear on her body than older runners who’ve consumed many more years of training.

In summary

Ava Crean’s performance at the Dublin Marathon is a standout story of 2025.

From a simple goal of 3h-plus earlier this year to smashing 2:34 and taking the Irish national marathon crown — all at age 19 and with limited competitive experience — she embodied both talent and determination.

Her post-race words (“I still can’t believe it”) are telling: she knows what she’s done is special.

For Irish athletics, she brings fresh excitement. For Crean, this may be simply the beginning of a promising marathon career.