Exciting Irish Team Selected for SPAR European Cross-Country Championships

European silver-medallist Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn AC) heads an Irish squad stacked with Olympic and European championship experience which has been selected for the 28^th edition of the SPAR European Cross-Country Championships which takes place at La Mandria Park, on the outskirts of Turin, on December 11^th, 2022.

Mageean is joined in the squad by fellow Olympians Michelle Finn (Leevale AC), Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC), Nadia Power (Dublin City Harriers) and Sunday’s 123.ie National Senior Cross Country champion Sarah Healy (UCD AC).

The senior women’s team will see Ann Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC), Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC), and Aoibhe Richardson (Kilkenny City Harriers) join Mageean and Finn in what looks a stacked senior race where Ireland will look to better last year’s agonising 4^th place finish.

Sunday’s national senior champions Sarah Healy (UCD AC) and Darragh McElhinney will lead the charge for the Irish U23 teams in Italy.

The women’s U23 won’t be found lacking for championships experience with Danielle Donegan (UCD AC), Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers), Aoife Ó'Cuill (St Coca’s AC), and Jodie McCann (Dublin City Harriers) sure to work together in a bid to back up an attempt from Sarah Healy to better her excellent 5^th place finish from Final-Dublin last December. Niamh O'Mahoney (An Ríocht AC) makes her championship debut following an excellent 2022 season.

Anika Thompson (Leevale AC) made the long trip from Oregon to Donegal at the weekend all the more worthwhile in taking the U20 women’s title impressively. Thompson will head an exciting women’s U20 team with Roise Roberts (North Belfast Harriers) and Jane Buckley (Leevale AC) back for another bite at the European U20 race following encouraging performances at the grade last year.

Anna Gardiner (East Down AC), Hannah Kehoe (Kilkenny City Harriers), and Fiona Hawkins (Dublin City Harriers) complete another young and exciting team.

The mixed relay team will have no shortage of speed or experience with Olympians Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) and Nadia Power (Dublin City Harriers) joining 1,000m record holders (indoor) Georgie Hartigan (Dundrum South Dublin) and Luke McCann (Dublin City Harriers) as they each look to master the 1500m lap.

Athletics Ireland, National Endurance Co-ordinator, Matt Lockett said: "We must acknowledge the outstanding work from athletes to put themselves in contention for selection for these championships. The depth in cross country running at present is fabulous to see and is a testament to the work of coaches and athletes. We enjoyed a superb home European cross-country championships in Dublin last December and we are in no doubt those who have been selected are primed to take on the best in Europe on December 11^th once again.”

The SPAR European Cross-Country Championships is one of the main seasonal appointments of the European Athletics calendar and is hosted by Italy for the fourth time after the editions of Ferrara in 1998, San Giorgio su Legnano in 2006 and Chia in 2016. Piemonte 2022 follows the edition of Fingal-Dublin last December which saw Ireland claim 3 medals (2 team and 1 individual), topped off with team gold in the men’s Under-23 race.

Athletics Ireland would like to congratulate all of our athletes and their coaches who have been selected for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships on December 11th. We are very proud of you all and look forward to cheering you on as you represent us once more.

We must also acknowledge the great work and effort our members, coaches, volunteers, and the wider athletics community has put in to support our athletes in attaining selection for these championships. We all look forward to roaring on #TeamGreen as the first races commence on December 11th.