Fionnuala Britton (Kilcoole AC) today won the women’s 6km race at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country in convincing style .
This was the Wicklow woman’s first cross country outing since her gold medal run at last month’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia.
She again dominated the race with impressive front running from the start, crossing the line in 21.32 minutes, 20 seconds ahead of Britain’s Gemma Steele and Elle Baker (GBR) in third. Britton was also the captain of the Europe team who competed against the Great Britain and the USA selections in a team competition.
Britton said: “To be honest, I didn’t know what sort of shape I was in. I’ve been training hard but racing is different and I wasn’t sure how well I’d run, so it’s nice to come out here and feel strong.”
Britton will again test herself against many of the world’s best at the IAAF Cross Country Permit Meeting in Sevilla, Spain next Sunday. She then plans to run the Antrim International Cross Country a week later on 21 January. In February she will return to Abufeira, Portugal to compete on the course where she finished in an agonising fourth place in the European Championships in 2010 when she takes part in the Almond Blossom Cross Country.
In the men’s race, Joe Sweeney of Dundrum South Dublin AC finished in 11th place following on from his impressive fifth place finish at the European Championships.