EXCITING IRISH TEAM SELECTED FOR BRUSSELS 2023 - Athletics Ireland
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EXCITING IRISH TEAM SELECTED FOR BRUSSELS 2023

21 November 2023

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Fionnuala McCormack will headline an Irish squad stacked with European championship experience which has been selected for the 29th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships which take place in Brussels on December 10th 2023.

Brussels 2023 will mark McCormack’s 18th European Cross Country Championships where she will be joined on an experienced Irish senior women’s team by Eilish Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC), Fionnula Ross (Armagh AC), and recent national champion Fiona Everard  (Bandon AC).

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).

The U23 teams will see the return of Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers) who led Ireland home in the U23 race year, while the U23 men’s team will see Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club) graduate from the U20 category following following last year’s brilliant bronze medal performance.

Last year’s U20 silver medallist Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) will spearhead a strong looking U20 men’s team as he look to go in search of more European success, while recent national champion Anna Gardiner (East Down AC) will head to Brussels buoyed by her impressive win in Gowran last Sunday.

Speaking at the announcement, Athletics Ireland National Endurance Co-ordinator, Mark Kenneally said: "In my short time in the role it has been heartening to see the stellar work being put in by athletes and coaches to prepare for these championships. In recent years we have enjoyed great individual and team success, and this has raised expectations, both within the team and externally in the wider athletics and sporting community. This is, again, fantastic to see, and while the standard of distance running generally in Europe is on the rise, I am confident that our athletes are capable of rising to the challenge. Our athletes will be prepared to perform at their highest level, and I am certain this will ensure it will be a successful championships on December 10th in Brussels”.

The SPAR European Cross Country Championships is one of the main seasonal appointments of the European Athletics calendar. Brussels 2023 follows last year’s championships in Piemonte, Italy which saw Ireland claim a record 5 medals which resulted in Ireland finishing in second place on the overall medal table alongside Spain and France, bettering the 3 medals won at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships which were hosted in Fingal-Dublin.

SELECTIONS:

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

Athletics Ireland would like to congratulate all of our athletes and their coaches who have been selected for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships on December 10th. We are very proud of you all and look forward to cheering you on as you represent us once more.

We must also acknowledge the great work and effort our members, coaches, volunteers, and the wider athletics community has put in to support our athletes in attaining selection for these championships. We all look forward to roaring on #TeamGreen as the first races commence on December 10th.

  • 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

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