News

Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) has won a superb silver for Ireland in the U23 race at this morning’s European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Türkiye (Dec 8^th).

The nineteen-year-old, who earned bronze in last year’s under-20 race, made a decisive late surge to narrowly miss out on gold behind Will Barnicoat (GBR) who successfully defended his title.

The Tyrone athlete defied fatigue over the closing stages to push Barnicoat all the way to the line, ultimately crossing in 18.28 behind the British athlete who clocked a winning time of 18.27. David Stone (GBR) rounded out the top three places to claim bronze in 18.31.

Speaking after the race, Griggs said, “Everyone wants to go out and win gold. I’m the nearly-man at these championships with two silvers and one bronze individually in the last three years, but I’m happy and I think it’s something I’ll appreciate as I get older.

“I love these championships and it’s a special one for me. I always like to step up and perform at my best when I have the Irish vest on. I knew it was a long home straight and not to make any moves too early, but the best man won on the day and one of these years I will win at these championships.”

Griggs, who missed out on this year’s U20 grade by just two weeks, will enjoy two more years running at U23. Today’s performance continued a remarkable period for Ireland at European Cross Country, making it the fifth consecutive medal-winning- championship since Lisbon in 2019.

Hopes of a potential U23 team medal for Ireland faded over the closing stages with Niall Murphy (Ennis Track) coming home 23rd and Callum Morgan (Candour Track Club) 29^th to see Ireland finish fourth with 54 points, 12 points behind bronze medallists Denmark.

Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers) produced a huge performance in the women’s U23 race, finishing 7^th overall. National champion Emma McEvoy also secured a top 20 finish in 13^th place to help Ireland to a 5^th placed team result.

The senior races were witness to another remarkable run from Niamh Allen (Leevale AC) who finished 11^th on her European Cross Country debut, three months on from giving birth to her daughter Lily. She led home a senior women’s team who finished 10^th overall with Cheryl Nolan (St Abbans AC) the second Irish athlete across the finish in 57^th, followed shortly after by national champion Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC) in 62^nd.

The senior men’s team finished 8^th in the team standings with Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers) leading the Irish team home for the second consecutive year (21^st), shortly followed by Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) in 26^th.

The women’s U20 team led out Ireland’s involvement today and were in contention throughout, ultimately finishing sixth overall with Anna Gardiner (19^th) and Lucy Foster (20^th) both securing top twenty finishes. The men’s U20 team finished 9^th overall with UCD’s Lughaidh Mallon leading them home in 26^th.

Results Summary

U20 Men Race

Individual Medals

1. Niels LAROS NED
2. George COUTTIE GBR
3. Andreas FJELD HALVORSEN NOR

Team Medals

1. Norway
2. Netherlands
3. France

Irish Finishing Positions (Team 9^th):

• Lughaidh Mallon (UCD AC) 26^th
• Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) 28^th
• Noah Harris (Parnell AC) 29^th
• Cormac Dixon (Tallaght AC) 34^th
• Sean Quinn (DSD AC) 40^th
• Frank McGrath (Lagan Valley AC) 62^nd

U20 Women Race

Individual Medals

1. Innes FITZGERALD GBR
2. Jess BAILEY GBR
3. Sofia THØGERSEN DEN

Team Medals

1. Great Britain & NI
2. France
3. Italy

Irish finishing positions (Team 6th):

• 19^th Anna Gardiner (East Down AC)
• 20^th Lucy Foster (Willowfield Harriers)
• 32^nd Annabell Morrison (Enniskillen RC)
• 52^nd Caitlin Hughes (Swinford AC)
• 66^th Avril Millerick (Youghal AC)
• 86^th Eva Bartlett (Lagan Valley AC)

U23 Men Race

Individual Medals

1. Will BARNICOAT GBR
2. Nick Griggs IRL
3. David Stone GBR

Team Medals

1. Great Britian & NI
2. France
3. Denmark

Irish Finishing Positions (Team 4th):

• 2^nd Nick Griggs (CNDR Track Club)
• 23^rd Niall Murphy (Ennis Track AC)
• 29^th Callum Morgan (CNDR Track Club)
• 37^th Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers)
• 49^th Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers)
• 63^rd Paul Hartnett (East Cork AC)

U23 Women Race

Individual Medals

1. Phoebe ANDERSON GBR
2. Maria FORERO ESP
3. Ilona MONONEN FIN

Team Medals

1. Great Britian & NI
2. Türkiye
3. Germany

Irish Finishing Positions (Team 5th):

• 7^th Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers)
• 13^th Emma McEvoy (DSD AC)
• 37^th Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers)
• 45^th Lucy Holmes (West Waterford AC)
• 50^th Roise Roberts (CNDR Track Club)
• 54^th Amy Greene (Finn Valley AC)

Senior Women Race

Individual Medals

1. Nadia BATTOCLETTI ITA
2. Konstanze KLOSTERHALFEN GER
3. Yasemin CAN TUR

Team Medals

1. Italy
2. Great Britian & NI
3. Belgium

Irish Finishing Positions (Team 10th) :

• 11^th Niamh Allen (Leevale AC)
• 57^th Cheryl Nolan (St Abbans AC)
• 62^nd Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC)
• 66^th Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC)
• 73^rd Fiona Everard (Bandon AC)
• 74^th Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers)

Senior Men Race

Individual Medals

1. Jakob INGEBRIGTSEN NOR
2. Yemaneberhan CRIPPA ITA
3. Thierry NDIKUMWENAYO ESP

Team Medals

1. Spain
2. Belgium
3. Great Britian & NI

Irish Finishing Positions (Team 8th):

• 21^st Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers)
• 26^th Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers)
• 41^st Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers)
• 53^rd Keelan Kilrehill (Mov Valley AC)
• 54^th William Fitzgerald (Craughwell AC)
• 63^rd Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC)

Full Results can be found HERE.