Heaslip top Irish performer in Belgium

Heaslip top Irish performer in Belgium

Shona Heaslip (An Riocht) sharpened her preparations for the Irish Life Health National Cross Country Championships and the European Cross Country with a second place finish in Belgium last weekend.

Eight Irish athletes were in action at the Easykit Crosscup International event in Mol, with Heaslip the top finisher in second in the combined senior and junior women’s 5,500m in 19:37.

The junior women competed strongly with Stephanie Cotter (West Muskerry) 6th in 21:36, Avril Deegan (Ballyroan Abbeyleix) 16th in 22:12, Aisling Kelly (St John’s Clare) 18th in 22:28 in their race.

 Evan Byrne (Togher), an U23 athlete, was 32nd in the senior men’s 9,200m in 32:28.

The course is tough in parts with sandy sections and the junior men fared well over 6,200m. Darragh McElhinney (Bantry) was 4th in 20:34 with Micheal Power (West Waterford) 5th in 20:51 and David McGlynn (Waterford) 18th in 21:50.