Irish Racer Leads Pack at Rio Hondo

Kathleen Looney, the 46-year-old runner who came to Whittier from Ireland, is having a successful season on the Rio Hondo College cross-country team.

Last Saturday, Looney finished third among 107 runners with a time of 18 minutes and 28 seconds in the Bakersfield College Invitational. “You should have seen the looks of amazement on the faces of all the young runners when she passed them!” Rio Hondo Coach Fred Mascorro said.

A week before, Looney finished second, despite the flu, in a Foothill Conference meet at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster. The winner was Gene Harvey of Antelope Valley, the defending women’s state champion.

Looney won the Fresno City College Invitational on Sept. 21.

Rio Hondo will compete at 2 p.m. Friday in a meet at Irvine Park in Orange.