2023 EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS: PREVIEW & WHERE TO WATCH

An exciting Irish team will take to Brussels this weekend for the 29th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships which takes place at Laeken Park on December 10th 2023.

Final entries for the Brussels 2023 have been published and can be viewed in event-by-event order here.

Fionnuala McCormack will headline the Irish squad as she takes to her 18th European Cross Country Championships following her superb Olympic qualifying time (2:26.19) at the Valencia marathon last weekend.

Brussels 2023 follows last year’s championships in Piemonte which saw Ireland claim a record 5 medals, bettering the 3 medals won at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships which were hosted in Fingal-Dublin.

WHERE TO WATCH

The European Athletics Cross Country Championships will be broadcast live on RTE2 (Senior Races) from 1pm and on the RTE Player. Action will also be streamed live on the European Athletics All TV Platform in partnership with RTE.

RACE BY RACE PREVIEW

11.25 Irish Time: U20 Women 5,000m

The women’s U20 team will lead out the Irish challenge on Sunday morning in what looks a hugely competitive race. 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.

Kirsty Maher (Moy Valley) 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.

11:50 Irish Time: U20 Men 5,000m

Last year’s U20 silver medallist Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) will spearhead a strong looking U20 men’s team as he looks to go in search of more European success.

Griggs is sure to have plenty of Irish company at the head of the field with national U20 champion Niall Murphy (Ennis Track) and Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) looking particularly strong this season. 

Harry Colbert (Waterford AC), Seamus Robinson (City of Derry Spartans AC), and Shane Brosnan (An Riocht) complete an exciting looking team who will face one of the  hottest U20 races in recent years.

European U20 1500m and 5000m champion Niels Laros (Ned) is set to make his debut at these championships, while Denmark’s Axel Vang Christensen won this title in 2021 and returns for another tilt at gold following a withdrawal in last year’s race.

12:35 Irish Time: U23 Women 7,000m

The Irish U23 team doesn’t lack for experience and Tullamore’s Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers) is sure to play another leading role following her fine performance in Turin last year which saw her cross the finish as the first Irish athlete home.

Aoife Coffey (Lucan Harriers), Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC), and Aoife O'Cuill (St Cocas) are sure to give their running as the team look to better last year’s 7th place finish, while the in-form pair of Ava O'Connor (Tullamore Harriers) and Anika Thompson (Leevale AC) return from impressive performances stateside.

The race for individual honours looks hard to call with last year’s U20 champion, Maria Forero of Spain, likely to prove one of the leading contenders.

13:05 Irish Time: U23 Men 7,000m

The men’s U23 team picked up bronze in Italy last year and this year’s team is sure to have sights set on another top five finish. Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers) returns to the Irish singlet following his superb performance at the European U23 Track and Field Championships back in July, while last year’s U20 bronze medallist Dean Casey (Ennis Track) graduates to the U23 team.

Casey’s clubmate Oisin Spillane (Ennis Track Club) will join Callum Morgan (CNDR Track Club), Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers), and Michael Morgan (Sligo AC) in completing an Irish team stacked with potential. 

13:35 Irish Time: Senior Women 9,000m

The senior women have been one of the most prolific medal winning teams in Irish athletics in recent times, and although not one of the favourites to medal on Sunday, few will discount them.

Kilcoole's Fionnula McCormack continues to be one of Ireland’s most remarkable athletes and she will lead out the team in her 18th appearance at a European Cross Country Championships.

McCormack will be joined on the team by Eilish Flanagan (Finn Valley AC) and Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC) who produced outstanding performances in last year’s race to finish side-by-side in 11th and 12th place which helped Ireland to team bronze.

Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Fionnuala Ross (Armagh AC) are no strangers to European success and they will be joined on the start line by recent national champion Fiona Everard (Bandon AC).

Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal will seek a hat-trick of titles in the race for individual honours, with one of her main challengers likely to be Italy’s Nadia Battocletti who successfully defended her U23 title last year.

14:15 Irish Time: Senior Men 9,000m

The senior men’s team includes 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), Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC), Keelan Kilrehill (Mov Valley AC), 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.

TEAM IRELAND:

 

Event	Athlete	Club	Coach
U20 Women	Anna Gardiner	East Down AC	Peter Morgan
U20 Women	Amy Greene	Finn Valley	Helen McCready
U20 Women	Kirsty Maher	Moy Valley	Andy Bibby & Phillip Finnerty
U20 Women	Maebh Richardson	Kilkenny City Harriers	Ian Solof/Niamh Richardson/Noel Richardson
U20 Women	Avril Millerick	Youghal AC	Noel Curtin & Joe Ryan
U20 Women	Hannah Kehoe	Kilkenny City Harriers	Niamh Richardson
U20 Men	Niall Murphy	Ennis Track Club	Pat Hogan
U20 Men	Jonas Stafford	UCD AC	Feidhlim Kelly
U20 Men	Harry Colbert	Waterford AC	Des Colbert
U20 Men	Seamus Robinson	City of Derry Spartans AC	Martin Robinson
U20 Men	Nick Griggs	CNDR Track Club	Mark Kirk
U20 Men	Shane Brosnan	An Riocht	Alexander Gibby
U23 Women	Danielle Donegan	Tullamore Harriers	Emmett Dunleavy
U23 Women	Aoife Coffey	Lucan Harriers	Niamh & Eoin Fitzgerald
U23 Women	Eimear Maher	Dundrum South Dublin AC	Donal Hennigan
U23 Women	Aoife O'Cuill	St Cocas	Joe Ryan
U23 Women	Ava O'Connor	Tullamore Harriers	Damon Martin
U23 Women	Anika Thompson	Leevale AC	Shalane Flanagan / Ken Nason
U23 Men	Oisin Spillane	Ennis Track Club	Rory Chesser
U23 Men	Callum Morgan	CNDR Track Club	Mark Kirk
U23 Men	Matthew Lavery	North Belfast Harriers	Jim McGuinness
U23 Men	Abdel Laadjel	Donore Harriers	Ray Treacy
U23 Men	Michael Morgan	Sligo AC	Ray Treacy
U23 Men	Dean Casey	Ennis Track Club	Sean Carlson
Senior Women	Fiona Everard	Bandon AC	Matt Lockett
Senior Women	Mary Mulhare	Portlaoise AC	Michael Mulhare
Senior Women	Fionnuala Ross	Armagh AC	No Coach
Senior Women	Fionnuala McCormack	Kilcoole AC	Alan McCormack
Senior Women	Eilish Flanagan	Finn Valley	Damon Martin
Senior Women	Roisin Flanagan	Finn Valley	Damon Martin
Senior Men	Cormac Dalton	Mullingar Harriers	Joe Ryan
Senior Men	Kevin Mulcaire	Ennis Track Club	Pat Hogan
Senior Men	Hugh Armstrong	Ballina AC	Feidhlim Kelly
Senior Men	Keelan Kilrehill	Mov Valley AC	Emmett Dunleavy
Senior Men	Brian Fay	Raheny Shamrock AC	Feidhlim Kelly
Senior Men	Fearghal Curtin	Youghal AC	James Thie

• 123.ie National Cross Country Championships Report (19.11.2023): Click HERE
• European Cross Country Championships Official Website & Timetable HERE
• 2023 European Cross Country Championships Selection Policy HERE
• Broadcast live on RTE2 (Senior Races) from 1pm and on the RTE Player. Action will also be streamed live on the European Athletics All TV Platform in partnership with RTE.