Athletics Ireland have named a squad of 36 for the European Cross-Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey, with West Waterford's Lucy Holmes among those selected for the women's under-23 team.
Kieran Kilrehill (Moy Valley AC) will be joined on the 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 team that finished fourth at last year’s championships in Brussels, with Dalton finishing inside the top ten individually.
Ann Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC), who most recently won a team bronze medal at these championships back in 2022 (Turin), is joined on the 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).
Fionnuala McCormack, who was placed fourth for the fifth time at last year's championships, is not part of the squad. The 40-year-old finished 28th in the marathon at last summers's Paris Olympics.
The women’s U-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 clubmate Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers) who placed 19th in the NCAA Division II cross country in completing the team.
Nick Griggs secured the U-20 bronze medal in 2023 and the Tyrone teenager will make the step up to the U-23 ranks alongside a team consisting of Niall Murphy (Ennis Track AC) who took the senior silver medal at the nationals, 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 U20 team who claimed gold at these championships last year, and even with some of that team graduating to the U23 ranks, the U20 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 U-20 title will be national 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).
The U-20 women’s team comprises Lucy Foster (Willowfield Harriers), Annabell Morrison (Enniskillen RC), Avril Millerick (Youghal AC), Eva Bartlett (Lagan Valley AC), and Caitlin Hughes (Swinford AC), while Anna Gardiner (East Down AC) also returns having led the Irish team home last year.
The championships take place on Sunday, December 8th.
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