Team the top priority for McCormack at European Cross Country Championships
Fionnuala McCormack is looking forward to the European Cross Country Championships in Hyeres, France this Sunday where she hopes to lead a successful Irish women’s team challenge for medals which will be aired live on RTE 2 from 11:45am.
"I'm looking forward to the race on Sunday,” said the former two-time winner who finished 6th last year and led the Irish women’s team to bronze medals.
“It's going to be a tough challenge with Britain and France having very strong teams but I believe we can be in contention if we all run well.
"My preparations haven't been as specific this year with my transition to the roads so it's difficult to say what exact shape I'm in for an 8km cross country race. I love running cross country though and hopefully we will be happy on Sunday afternoon with a positive team result."
McCormack won the national championships with ease on the 22nd of November following her Olympic marathon qualifying standard in Chicago on October 13th of 2:33:15 – comfortably inside the standard of 2:45.
Strong Irish women's team look to back up bronze
Flanking her on the team over 8km will be Lizzie Lee (Leevale), Caroline Crowley (Crusaders), Kerry O'Flaherty (Newcastle), Ciara Durkan (Skerries) and Michelle Finn (Leevale).
Only Finn remains from the bronze medal-winning team from last year but her club mate Lee was on the gold-medal winning team in Budapest in 2012. Lee has also qualified for Rio in the marathon and will be looking to put strength to good use in France. Finn and O’Flaherty have Olympic standards in the steeplechase and with logs set to be laid out on the route, they will be looking to use their steepling technique to positively affect the team result.
Caroline Crowley has had a whirlwind season winning the Dublin Cross Country Championships and then going on to finish third at the Inter Clubs to seal her selection. The 28-year-old Crusaders athlete started running three years ago and is enjoying her newfound success.
Ciara Durkan has come close on a number of occasions to making the team and her durability was rewarded this year and she will hope to capitalise on her selection and deliver a good performance.
British favourites for team gold
The British women’s team look to have the strongest team on paper with Gemma Steel, Kate Avery and Steph Twell in their ranks. Steel just pipped Avery for individual gold last year with Twell finishing 7th as they eased to team gold on 21 points ahead of Spain and Ireland.
France will be strong contenders with Sophie Duarte and Christelle Daunay in their team and they will be looking to impress on home soil. Spain will also be in the mix once more with Diana Martin and Lydia Rodgriguez among those returning.
Clohisey leads senior men
Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) leads the Irish men’s team into battle over 10km where individual glory sets to be battled out once more between the triumvirate of Polat Kemboi Arikan, Ali Kaya (both Turkey) and Alemayehu Bezabeh (Spain). The three dominated last year with Arikan just edging Kaya on the line for gold. Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) makes his debut for Ireland Ryan Creech (Leevale) makes his senior bow.
Tobin puts his speed to the test
The men’s U23 team will look to put in a solid performance with Clonmel’s Sean Tobin likely to feature most prominently. Based in Mississippi on scholarship, Tobin recently ran 4:02.97 for the mile indoors and will aim to put that speed to good use. Great Britain's Marc Scott and Belgium's Isaac Kimeli will be among those looking for individual glory.
Heaslip and Mitchell in U23 women's race
Two women, Shona Heaslip and Emma Mitchell, have been selected for the women’s U23 race where Netherlands’ Jip Vastenburg is one of the leading individual contenders along with Great Britain's Laura Muir. They will look to run a strong race and come through the field for positive individual results.
Mulcaire eyeing top 10 finish in Junior race
Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club) is an individual medal hope in the junior men’s race having finished fourth over 5,000m at the European Junior Athletics Championships in Eskilstuna, Sweden over the summer. The Clare man has learned a lot since his last outing in Samokov last year and will be eyeing a top 10 finish. A good run from Mulcaire could see a positive team performance with Jack O’Leary returning from last year and Peter Lynch having shown good form this cross country season. Defending champion, Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa returns three others who finished in the top five last year - Italy’s Said Etaqqy, who was third, Spain’s Ayoub Mokhtar, who was fourth, and Italy’s Yohanes Chiappinelli, who was fifth, all return.
Junior women look for experience
Hope Saunders finished 33rd last year in the junior women’s race but has unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury. She has been replaced by Emma O’Brien (Inbhear Dee) as the junior women look to gain experience at this level of competition. Germany’s Alina Reh is the big favourite for the race having won the 3,000m and the 5,000m at the European Juniors last summer for the race with Great Britain’s European Junior 1500m champion Bobby Clay leading an expected team win.
Men's Senior
Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock), John Coghlan (MSB), Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders), Ryan Creech (Leevale), Joe Sweeney (DSD), Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers)
Women's Senior
Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole), Lizzie Lee (Leevale), Caroline Crowley (Crusaders), Kerry O'Flaherty (Newcastle), Ciara Durkan (Skerries), Michelle Finn (Leevale)
Men’s Under-23
Thomas Moran (Dunshaughlin), Brandon Hargreaves (Clonliffe Harriers), Hugh Armstrong (Ballina), Keith Fallon (GCH), Sean Tobin (Clonmel), Aaron Hanlon (Clonliffe Harriers)
Women’s Under-23 (2 athletes selected)
Shona Heaslip (An Riocht), Emma Mitchell (Banbridge)
Junior Men
Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track), Peter Lynch (KCH), Jack O’ Leary (Mullingar Harriers), Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) James Edgar (Lisburn), Pierre Murchan (Celtic)
Junior Women
Emma O’Brien (Inbhear Dee), Aoibhe Richardson (KCH), Isabel Carron (Skerries), Deirdre Healy (Ratoath), Nadia Power (Templeogue), Sophie Murphy (DSD)
