Big Mayo interest in Irish team for European Cross Country Championships
Athletics Ireland has named a 36-strong team for the upcoming SPAR European Cross Country Championships which take place in Antalya, Türkiye, on Sunday, December 8.
The senior men's team will be spearheaded by the recent national senior cross country race winner, Keelan Kilrehill of Moy Valley AC, Ballina, while Swinford AC's Caitlin Hughes has been selected on the Under 20 women's team.
Kilrehill will be joined in the senior men’s team by Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers), Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers), Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC), William Fitzgerald (Craughwell AC) and Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers).
Kilrehill and Dalton both featured on the Irish senior men’s team that finished fourth at last year’s championships in Brussels, with Dalton finishing inside the top 10 individually.
As well as Caitlin Hughes, the Under 20 women’s team features Lucy Foster (Willowfield Harriers), Annabell Morrison (Enniskillen RC), Avril Millerick (Youghal AC), Eva Bartlett (Lagan Valley AC) and Anna Gardiner (East Down AC), who returns having led the Irish team home in Brussels last year.
Meanwhile, Ann Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny AC, Donegal, who delivered a gold-medal-winning performances over the 7,500m senior distance in the Irish championships in Enniskillen back on November 17, leads the women's senior team.
McGlynn, who most recently won a team bronze medal at these championships back in 2022 (Turin), will be joined on the senior women’s team by Niamh Allen (Leevale AC), Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers), Fiona Everard (Bandon AC), Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Cheryl Nolan (St. Abban’s AC).
The women’s Under 23 team sees Emma McEvoy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Amy Greene (Finn Valley AC) earn selection on the back of their top two placings at nationals. They will also be joined Roise Roberts (Candour Track Club), who followed them home in Enniskillen, along with Lucy Holmes (West Waterford AC). Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers), who was 56th at the recent NCAA cross country in the USA, is joined by club-mate Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers), who placed 19th in the NCAA Division II cross country, in completing the team.
Nick Griggs secured the Under 20 bronze medal at these championships 12 months ago. The Tyrone teenager will now make the step up to the Under 23 ranks alongside a team consisting of the ever-impressive Niall Murphy (Ennis Track AC), who took the senior silver medal at the nationals behind Kilrehill. They will join an experienced team that also includes Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers), Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers), Paul Hartnett (East Cork AC) and Callum Morgan (CNDR Track Club).
Griggs was part of the Under 20 team who claimed gold at these championships last year, and even with some of that team graduating to the Under 23 ranks, the Under 20 team once again looks to be one of Ireland’s best hopes of challenging for the leading team placings on Sunday week.
Out to try and defend the men’s Under 20 title will be national Under 20 champion Jonas Stafford (UCD AC), Frank McGrath (Lagan Valley AC), Sean Quinn (DSD AC), Noah Harris (Parnell AC), Lughaidh Mallon (UCD AC) and Cormac Dixon (Tallaght AC).
Speaking at the team announcement, Athletics Ireland national endurance co-ordinator, Mark Kenneally, said: “On the back of last year’s success in Brussels, I am delighted that we travel to Türkiye with strong teams again. It is getting harder to make the Irish team for the European Cross Country Championships year on year, and great credit goes to all the athletes who have made this team.
“We now travel to Türkiye in December with realistic medal ambitions and will look for strong performances from athletes across the board.”
This year’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships takes place in Antalya, the fifth largest city in Türkiye, on December 8, and will be the 30th edition of the championships.