2023 EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS: PREVIEW & WHERE TO WATCH - Athletics Ireland
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2023 EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS: PREVIEW & WHERE TO WATCH

5 December 2023

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An exciting Irish team will take to Brussels this weekend for the 29th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships which takes place at Laeken Park on December 10th 2023.

Final entries for the Brussels 2023 have been published and can be viewed in event-by-event order here.

Fionnuala McCormack will headline the Irish squad as she takes to her 18th European Cross Country Championships following her superb Olympic qualifying time (2:26.19) at the Valencia marathon last weekend.

Brussels 2023 follows last year’s championships in Piemonte which saw Ireland claim a record 5 medals, bettering the 3 medals won at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships which were hosted in Fingal-Dublin.

WHERE TO WATCH

The European Athletics Cross Country Championships will be broadcast live on RTE2 (Senior Races) from 1pm and on the RTE Player. Action will also be streamed live on the European Athletics All TV Platform in partnership with RTE.

RACE BY RACE PREVIEW

11.25 Irish Time: U20 Women 5,000m

The women’s U20 team will lead out the Irish challenge on Sunday morning in what looks a hugely competitive race. Recent national champion Anna Gardiner (East Down AC) will be joined by Avril Millerick (Youghal AC) and Hannah Kehoe (Kilkenny City Harriers) who already boast European Cross Country experience.

Kirsty Maher (Moy Valley) and a second Kilkenny athlete in Maebh Richardson (Kilkenny City Harriers) will make their Euro Cross debuts, while Amy Greene (Finn Valley) will complete the team and should head to Brussels full of confidence given her superb recent run of form.

11:50 Irish Time: U20 Men 5,000m

Last year’s U20 silver medallist Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) will spearhead a strong looking U20 men’s team as he looks to go in search of more European success.

Griggs is sure to have plenty of Irish company at the head of the field with national U20 champion Niall Murphy (Ennis Track) and Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) looking particularly strong this season. 

Harry Colbert (Waterford AC), Seamus Robinson (City of Derry Spartans AC), and Shane Brosnan (An Riocht) complete an exciting looking team who will face one of the  hottest U20 races in recent years.

European U20 1500m and 5000m champion Niels Laros (Ned) is set to make his debut at these championships, while Denmark’s Axel Vang Christensen won this title in 2021 and returns for another tilt at gold following a withdrawal in last year’s race.

12:35 Irish Time: U23 Women 7,000m

The Irish U23 team doesn’t lack for experience and Tullamore’s Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers) is sure to play another leading role following her fine performance in Turin last year which saw her cross the finish as the first Irish athlete home.

Aoife Coffey (Lucan Harriers), Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC), and Aoife O'Cuill (St Cocas) are sure to give their running as the team look to better last year’s 7th place finish, while the in-form pair of Ava O'Connor (Tullamore Harriers) and Anika Thompson (Leevale AC) return from impressive performances stateside.

The race for individual honours looks hard to call with last year’s U20 champion, Maria Forero of Spain, likely to prove one of the leading contenders.

13:05 Irish Time: U23 Men 7,000m

The men’s U23 team picked up bronze in Italy last year and this year’s team is sure to have sights set on another top five finish. Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers) returns to the Irish singlet following his superb performance at the European U23 Track and Field Championships back in July, while last year’s U20 bronze medallist Dean Casey (Ennis Track) graduates to the U23 team.

Casey’s clubmate Oisin Spillane (Ennis Track Club) will join Callum Morgan (CNDR Track Club), Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers), and Michael Morgan (Sligo AC) in completing an Irish team stacked with potential. 

13:35 Irish Time: Senior Women 9,000m

The senior women have been one of the most prolific medal winning teams in Irish athletics in recent times, and although not one of the favourites to medal on Sunday, few will discount them.

Kilcoole's Fionnula McCormack continues to be one of Ireland’s most remarkable athletes and she will lead out the team in her 18th appearance at a European Cross Country Championships.

McCormack will be joined on the team by Eilish Flanagan (Finn Valley AC) and Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC) who produced outstanding performances in last year’s race to finish side-by-side in 11th and 12th place which helped Ireland to team bronze.

Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Fionnuala Ross (Armagh AC) are no strangers to European success and they will be joined on the start line by recent national champion Fiona Everard (Bandon AC).

Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal will seek a hat-trick of titles in the race for individual honours, with one of her main challengers likely to be Italy’s Nadia Battocletti who successfully defended her U23 title last year.

14:15 Irish Time: Senior Men 9,000m

The senior men’s team includes newly crowned national cross country champion Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers) who will be ably supported by Irish 5,000m record holder Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock), Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC), Keelan Kilrehill (Mov Valley AC), Fearghal Curtin (Youghal AC), and a resurgent Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club).

All six athletes came through one of the deepest national cross country fields in recent years to secure their places on the plane to Brussels and they will expect to be competitive on the day with conditions set to suit.

With two-time champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen from Norway missing from the championships for the first time in his career, a new name will stand top of the men’s podium.

Home favourite Isaac Kimeli is one of Belgium’s leading title hopes, while Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa - a two-time U20 champion - will be looking to add the senior cross country title to his 10,000m gold from the 2022 European Athletics Championships.

TEAM IRELAND:

 

Event

Athlete

Club

Coach

U20 Women

Anna Gardiner

East Down AC

Peter Morgan

U20 Women

Amy Greene

Finn Valley

Helen McCready

U20 Women

Kirsty Maher

Moy Valley

Andy Bibby & Phillip Finnerty

U20 Women

Maebh Richardson

Kilkenny City Harriers

Ian Solof/Niamh Richardson/Noel Richardson

U20 Women

Avril Millerick

Youghal AC

Noel Curtin & Joe Ryan

U20 Women

Hannah Kehoe

Kilkenny City Harriers

Niamh Richardson

U20 Men

Niall Murphy

Ennis Track Club

Pat Hogan

U20 Men

Jonas Stafford

UCD AC

Feidhlim Kelly

U20 Men

Harry Colbert

Waterford AC

Des Colbert

U20 Men

Seamus Robinson

City of Derry Spartans AC

Martin Robinson

U20 Men

Nick Griggs

CNDR Track Club

Mark Kirk

U20 Men

Shane Brosnan

An Riocht

Alexander Gibby

U23 Women

Danielle Donegan

Tullamore Harriers

Emmett Dunleavy

U23 Women

Aoife Coffey

Lucan Harriers

Niamh & Eoin Fitzgerald

U23 Women

Eimear Maher

Dundrum South Dublin AC

Donal Hennigan

U23 Women

Aoife O'Cuill

St Cocas

Joe Ryan

U23 Women

Ava O'Connor

Tullamore Harriers

Damon Martin

U23 Women

Anika Thompson

Leevale AC

Shalane Flanagan / Ken Nason

U23 Men

Oisin Spillane

Ennis Track Club

Rory Chesser

U23 Men

Callum Morgan

CNDR Track Club

Mark Kirk

U23 Men

Matthew Lavery

North Belfast Harriers

Jim McGuinness

U23 Men

Abdel Laadjel

Donore Harriers

Ray Treacy

U23 Men

Michael Morgan

Sligo AC

Ray Treacy

U23 Men

Dean Casey

Ennis Track Club

Sean Carlson

Senior Women

Fiona Everard

Bandon AC

Matt Lockett

Senior Women

Mary Mulhare

Portlaoise AC

Michael Mulhare

Senior Women

Fionnuala Ross

Armagh AC

No Coach

Senior Women

Fionnuala McCormack

Kilcoole AC

Alan McCormack

Senior Women

Eilish Flanagan

Finn Valley

Damon Martin

Senior Women

Roisin Flanagan

Finn Valley

Damon Martin

Senior Men

Cormac Dalton

Mullingar Harriers

Joe Ryan

Senior Men

Kevin Mulcaire

Ennis Track Club

Pat Hogan

Senior Men

Hugh Armstrong

Ballina AC

Feidhlim Kelly

Senior Men

Keelan Kilrehill

Mov Valley AC

Emmett Dunleavy

Senior Men

Brian Fay

Raheny Shamrock AC

Feidhlim Kelly

Senior Men

Fearghal Curtin

Youghal AC

James Thie

  • 123.ie National Cross Country Championships Report (19.11.2023): Click HERE
  • European Cross Country Championships Official Website & Timetable HERE
  • 2023 European Cross Country Championships Selection Policy HERE
  • Broadcast live on RTE2 (Senior Races) from 1pm and on the RTE Player. Action will also be streamed live on the European Athletics All TV Platform in partnership with RTE.

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