Ireland secured a record five medals at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships at La Mandria Park in Italy on Sunday.
The total saw Ireland finish in second place on the overall medal table alongside Spain and France, bettering the three medals won at last year’s European Cross Country Championships which were hosted at the Sport Ireland Campus.
Nick Griggs and Dean Casey claimed a superb double podium finish for Ireland in the first race of the day, performances which would help the Irish U20’s to the team silver medal alongside teammates Sean McGinley, Callum Morgan, Jonas Stafford, and Mark Hanrahan.
It was though heartbreaking to watch on the RTÉ Player as Griggs stumbled within the final 50 metres of the line to be deprived of a potential Gold medal.
The men’s U23 team claimed a brilliant team bronze medal thanks to Efrem Gidey (5th), Keelan Kilrehill (9th), and Shane McEvoy (15th) all finishing inside the top 15.
Darragh McElhinney, last year’s silver medallist had to settle for 26th having been with the leaders over the first three laps of the tough and undulating course. Jamie Battle and Thomas McStay were the other team members.
RTÉ’s coverage on TV began with the Women’s U23 race where Sarah Healy was with the eventual winner Nadia Battocletti through the first two laps before being forced to withdraw through injury.
The senior women’s team used all of their championship racing experience to win another brilliant bronze thanks to an outstanding double act from twin sisters Eilish and Roisin Flanagan who crossed side-by-side in 11th and 12th place. Eilish only came into the team as a late replacement for Ciara Mageean.
Mary Mulhare (27th) rounded out the scoring for the bronze medal-winning team, closely supported by Ann Marie McGlynn (31st), Aoibhe Richardson (46th), and Michelle Finn (55th).
The result continues an outstandingly consistent run from the senior women’s team who have medalled for the 5th time in 11 years at these championships.
Jane Buckley secured a brilliant 5th-place finish in the women’s U20 race, while the senior men’s team saw 3 athletes inside the top 30 places in a stacked field. Peter Lynch of Kilkenny City Harries finished 15th ahead of Hiko Tonosa Haso (27th) and Brian Fay (30th) .
The performances continue a remarkably consistent medal-winning run for Irish athletes at European Cross Country Championships. Ireland has won 12 medals over the last 3 editions of these championships; a stat made all the more impressive when set against the 13 medals won in the previous 25 editions.
