Three local runners to compete in European Cross Country Championships
Keelan Kilrehill of Moy Valley AC will compete in the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Brussels this weekend. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Three local runners are competing in the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Brussels this weekend.
Ballina AC's Hugh Armstrong and Moy Valley AC's Keelan Kilrehill will be in the senior men's grade, while Moy Valley's Kirsty Maher will run in the U20 women's category.
An exciting Irish team will take to Belgian capital this weekend for the 29th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships which take place at Laeken Park on Sunday next.
Maher will be in action at 11.25am in the U20 Women 5,000m alongside 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, 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.
Armstrong and Kilrehill will compete in the Senior Men 9,000m at 2.15pm. They will be joined by 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), 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.
The European Athletics Cross Country Championships will be broadcast live on RTÉ2 (Senior Races) from 1pm and on the RTÉ Player. Action will also be streamed live on the European Athletics All TV Platform in partnership with RTÉ.
