Irish European Cross-Championships Squad 2016
Five Cork Athletes Represent Ireland at 2016 European Cross-Country Championships
Chia, Italy
Sunday December 11th 2016
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| Darragh McElhinney, Bantry AC Photo: European Athletics | Fearghal Curtin, Youghal AC Photo: Sportsfile - Sam Barnes | Charlie O'Donovan, Leevale AC |
Darragh McElhinney (Bantry A.C.), Fearghal Curtain (Youghal A.C.) and Charlie O'Donovan (Leevale A.C.), spearhead the Junior Mens team, while Leevale AC's duo of Mark Hanrahan and Michelle Finn are on the Senior Mens and Senior Womens Teams respectively.
TV Coverage & Live Streaming
Live coverage begins on RTE2 at 11am tomorrow, while Live streaming on European Athletics homepage begins around 9am
Schedule:
U20 Women Race 9:15
U20 Men Race 9:40
U23 Women race 10:10
U23 Men race 10:50
Senior Women Race 11:30
Senior Men race 11:10
Victory Ceremonies 13:15
European Cross-Country Championship Course - Chia 2016
Athletic Ireland Press Release - Feidhlim Kelly
Blockbuster weekend highlighted by European Cross-Country Championships
There is an action-packed weekend of athletics ahead, headlined by the European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy on Sunday, December 11
The SIAB Schools' International Combined Events will be hosted in Ireland for the first time, in Athlone IT, tomorrow, December 10, while the Irish Life Health National Novice and Uneven Age Cross Country Championships will also take place on Sunday in Dundalk IT
Italian job awaits for Irish team at Euro Cross
A twentyeight strong Irish team will compete against Europe’s finest cross-country runners in Chia, Italy on Sunday, December 11.
Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) is, Ireland’s headline act, where she will be hoping to get back on to the individual medal rostrum as well as guiding the women’s team to another podium position. Coming of the back of her recent emphatic win against a world-class field, in Atapuerca, Spain, McCormack will be vieing to become the first woman to win the European Cross-Country Championship for a third time.
She will be supported on the team by Shona Heaslip (An Riocht), Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle), Ciara Mageean (UCD), Laura Crowe (An Riocht) and Michelle Finn (Leevale).
Mageean will be hoping the firm surface will suit her in Chia in an effort to replicate her junior form over cross country where she finished 7th in the junior race in 2010. The Portaferry woman has been returning to her cross country roots properly since getting into a full rhythm and an injury free build-up. The team has added experience in O’Flaherty and Finn who impressed in the summer in the 3,000m steeplechase having made the European final and competed in the Olympics.
McCormack will spearhead the team and a podium position will be in her sights. McCormack will face stiff competition from the likes of Turkey’s Yasemin Can and Meryem Akda. Can cruised to the European 10,000m title in Amsterdam and will be dangerous once more in Chia. Another serious contender will be Norway’s Karoline Grovdal, who was a bronze medallist in Hyeres last year.
An experienced senior men’s team will be led by Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) who won the Irish Life Health National Cross Country Championships impressively. Christie has had a hiatus from the European cross since 2010 but has plenty of experience to produce a solid showing alongside Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock), Mark Hanrahan (Leevale), Liam Brady (Tullamore Harriers), Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) and Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrock).
Blooding the next generation
It will be a case of blooding the next generation in the U23 and junior races.
Bethanie Murray (DSD) and Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald) will lead Irish hopes in the women’s U23 race with Karl Fitzmaurice (Ennis Track) and Mitchell Byrne (Rathfarnham) representing in the men’s U23 race.
Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers A.C.) is the most experience in the junior category at this level having finished 23rd last year with fellow fledglings Peter Lynch (Kilkenny City Harriers A.C.), Darragh McElhinney (Bantry A.C.), Fearghal Curtin (Youghal A.C.), Barry Keane (Waterford A.C.) and Charlie O'Donovan (Leevale A.C.) looking to gain further experience.
Sophie Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.) finished 54th in the junior race and she will be aiming to improve upon that position with Amy Rose Farrell (Blackrock A.C.), Emma O'Brien (Inbhear Dee A.C./Sli Cualann), Carla Sweeney (W.S.A.F A.C.), Jodie McCann (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.), Aisling Joyce (Claremorris A.C.) sampling this level of competition.
The European Cross Country Championships will be televised on RTE 2 from 11am on Sunday.
Live Streaming
European Athletics will stream live on the www.european-athletics.org homepage the SPAR European Cross Country Championships on 11 December with English-language commentary. The live streaming is provided in partnership with European Athletics' principal sponsor SPAR.
European Athletics Athlete Profiles
Some of these profiles are dated - e.g. Michelle Finn's Olympic exploits are not included - and Charlie O'Donovan doesn't (Yet) have a Auropean Athletics Athlete Profile.
Charlie O'Donovan
