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 |
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 |
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.