From the AAI website The countdown for the European cross country championships began in earnest today with a large squad of Irish athletes in action in Belgium and Spain.
In Belgium Fionnuala Britton (Sli Cualann AC) was involved in a terrific duel with Almensch Belete from Belgium, who just proved the stronger to finish four seconds ahead of the Wicklow woman. Her clubmate Deirdre Byrne cmae next in third place and Linda Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin AC) wasn’t too far behind in fifth place.
There was a big win for John Travers (Donore Harriers) who was a clear winner of the junior men’s race, with Ryan Creech (Leevale AC) fifth, with Liam tremble (Metro St. Brigid’s AC) 8th and Darren McBrearty (Letterkenny AC) 9th.
Sean Connolly (Tallaght AC) was best of the Irish in hte senior men’s race, finishing 12th, while Mary Mulhare (North Laois AC) recorded a fine sixth place finish in the junior women’s race.
In Burgos Spain Mary Cullen (North Sligo AC) finished fourth behind Genzebe Diababa from Ethiopia after a great battle for third place with Innes Monteiro from Portugal who finished one second ahead of her.
“I was pleased with my performance and it was good for my confidence,” Cullen said. Last year Cullen finished fourth in the European Cross Country Championships and she has made no secret of her ambitions to deliver a big home run in Santry. “I am looking forward to this year’s European Championships and I want to run well at home,” she said. “The race here in Burgos was fast, which is what I was looking for and I know that it will benefit me in my preparations for Santry.”
Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers) was 11th in the senior men’s race, with Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) 15th
Cross de Atapuerca Burgos ESP
Senior Women 5,000m
1 GENZEBE DIBABA ETIOPIA 1 14:53
2 INESS CHENONGE KENIA 2 15:01
3 INES MONTEIRO PORTUGAL 3 15:15
4 MARY CULLEN IRLANDA 4 15:16
5 FORTUNA ZEGERGISH ERITREA 5 15:39
6 GLADYS CHERONO KENIA 6 15:41
7 ARIËNNE HERZOG HOLANDA 7 15:45
8 NURIA FERNANDEZ NIKE 8 15:45
57 KAREN MURPHY IRLANDA 57 17:06
Senior Men 8760m
1 GEBRE GEBREMARIAN (ETH) ETIOPIA 24:41
2 ALEMAYEHU BEZABETH (ETH) BIKILA – TOLEDO 24:41
3 TEKLEMARIAM MEDHIN ERITREA 24:44
4 SAMUEL TSEGAY ERITREA 25:05
5 MARK KIPTOO (KEN) KENIA 25:24
6 SERGIO SANCHEZ MARTINEZ BARCELONA 25:27
11 MARK KENNEALLY IRLANDA 25:59
15 MARK CHRISTIE IRLANDA 26:18
Lotto CrossCup Mol Belgium
Senior women 6400m
1 BELETE ALMENSCH* BEL 22.03
2 BRITTON FIONNUALA IRE 22.07
3 BYRNE DEIDRE IRE 22.29
4 DEJAEGHERE VEERLE BEL 22.32
5 BYRNE LINDA IRE 22.32
6 JEPHOSGEI NAOMY KEN 22.57
15 BYRNE AOIFE IRE 23.29
16 TREACY SARA IRE 23.31
21 O’MAHONY ORLA IRE 23.59
26 DURKAN CIARA IRE 24.19
31 BRADY AOIFE IRE 24.47
34 MCGLOIN TERESA IRE 25.28
Senior Men 9500m
1 YESHETELA BEKELE ATELAW BEL 29.12
2 TASAMA FAISA DAME* 29.31
3 D’HOEDT JEROEN BEL 29.42
4 DESMET PIETER BEL 29.48
5 TALAM BERNARD KEN 29.56
6 CHEBII EZEKIEL KEN 29.59
7 KIPNGETICH DAVID KEN 30.00
8 GAHUNGU VITAL BDI 30.04
9 VAN KOOLWIJK KRIJN BEL 30.10
10 JANSSENS HANS BEL 30.17
11 VAN DEN HURK GERWIN NED 30.18
12 CONNOLLY SEAN IRE 30.20
14 CLOHISEY MICHAEL IRE 30.26
15 MULHARE MICHAEL IRE 30.30
22 HEHER SEAN IRE 31.04
30 RYAN SIMON IRE 32.06
34 LAWLER KEVIN IRE 32.46
Junior Women 4100m
1 CAELERS MAAIKE NED 15.20
2 DALEMANS ELINE BEL 15.21
3 KLAMER RACHEL NED 15.25
4 VANDE RIVIERE KATRIJN BEL 15.32
5 HOLTERMAN JILL NED 15.43
6 MULHARE MARY IRE 15.51
8 MITCHELL EMMA IRE 15.50
10 MILS JOANNE IRE 16.06
12 BLACK EIMEAR IRE 16.13
15 WALSH BETH IRE 16.43
20 ENGLISH MICHELLE IRE 17.07
Junior Men 6400m
1 TRAVERS JOHN IRE 20.28
2 VAN DER WIELEN JESPER NED 20.35
3 LEYSEN ERWIN BEL 20.42
4 LUNDERS MATS BEL 20.50
5 POLDERMANS JURJEN NED 21.02
6 CREECH RYAN IRE 21.12
8 TREMBLE LIAM IRE 21.16
9 MC BREATTY DARREN IRE 21.18
12 O’REILLY CIAN IRE 21.30
13 JENNINGS EMMET IRE 21.31
15 FITZMAURICE DAVID IRE 21.41
18 MC KILLOP MICHAEL IRE 21.46
19 O’HAZE JAMES IRE 21.47
24 VAN HAEFTEN LEE IRE 22.00
34 MC DERNOTT RYAN IRE 22.52