LAST UPDATE | 10 Dec 2023
IRELAND’S U20 MEN’S team has won gold at the European Cross Country Championships in Brussels.
Tyrone’s Nick Griggs sealed an individual bronze behind two senior stars on the European circuit, Axel Vang Christensen of Denmark and Dutchman Niels Laros, to steer his team to continental glory in the team stakes on a mud-soaked, sensational day for Irish athletics.
Griggs was one of three Irish runners to finish inside the top 10 at Laeken Park, with Niall Murphy home in ninth and Jonas Stafford in 10th.
Séamus Robinson finished 26th with teammate Shane Brosnan a couple of spots behind him, while Harry Colbert wasn’t long behind them in 40th.
IT'S TEAM GOLD FOR IRELAND‼️ WHAT A PERFORMANCE🤩👏
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) December 10, 2023
THREE inside the top 10🤯
✨Griggs 3rd
✨Murphy 9th
✨Stafford 10th
✨Robinson 26th
✨Brosnan28th
✨Colbert 40th
⚡Results: https://t.co/yiW1NDKJzD#Brussels2023 #IrishAthletics https://t.co/8kNu8qkSSg pic.twitter.com/7EGnT49wfz
“Yeah, it was a pretty special one, like,” said Griggs, whose bronze-medal finish steered his team to ultimate success.
“It was an amazing battle. I knew it was going to be tough. It was an unbelievable field like it was last year and I knew the two lads beside me, Axel and Niels, were two world-class athletes at senior level; obviously both European record holders. Niels was in a bronze-medal position in the World senior final coming around the last bend.
“I just tried to stick to them as much as I could in the race and with about a lap to go, 1500 left, they kind of just pulled away from me.
“Look, I would have wanted to win, I would have wanted to come second but I can’t complain about bronze in those conditions, redeeming what happened to me in the nationals.
“Not only that but to lead this team home to a gold medal after the two silvers we’ve had in the last two years… Yeah, I’m buzzin’. Buzzin’ for the lads.”
Niall Murphy, whose ninth-placed finish also significantly helped Ireland to team gold, said: “Yesterday I was looking at the course like, ‘This is my course.’ I don’t know when we’ll get another mucky course for another few years. So [I was] like, ‘Ah, go on, I’ll just give it my shot.’”
“It’s an honour to be in a team with these lads,” added Jonas Stafford, who finished 10th. “They’re a great bunch.”
Said Harry Colbert (40th): “I don’t think there was a single part of the course where there wasn’t an Irish flag or someone shouting for ya. Even on the last lap where it’s just so tough and you’re just gruelling through it, you always hear your name coming from somewhere.”
🗣️ “it was a pretty special one, it was an amazing battle.”
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) December 10, 2023
Our U20 gold medalists speak to us after THAT race 🥇#Brussels2023 @Ask123ie pic.twitter.com/JB4bf4odg1
Ireland’s U20 women’s team weren’t far off a podium of their own in fifth, with Anna Gardiner earning a seventh-placed finish in the individual stakes and Kirsty Maher crossing the line in 12th.
Amy Greene was 29th, Hannah Kehoe 45th, Maebh Richardson 54th and Avril Millerick 59th.
“I’m absolutely over the moon in helping the team get fifth place overall, it’s brilliant,” said Gardiner.
Maher added of her own top-12 finish: “Very happy, especially at my first Europeans. But I couldn’t have done it without Anna and the rest of the gals. Chasing her down was definitely something to be proud of.”
A huge performance from our U20 team 👏 Two athletes inside the top 12 for 5th placed team overall💪🇮🇪
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) December 10, 2023
✨Gardiner 7th
✨Maher 12th
✨Greene 29th
✨Kehoe 45th
✨Richardson 54th
✨Millerick 59th
⚡Results: https://t.co/yiW1NDKJzD#Brussels2023 @123.ie pic.twitter.com/0ibmbtF3va
Fionnuala McCormack just missed out on a medal, finishing fourth.
The Wicklow woman put in a strong final lap in tough conditions but admitted that there was a “bit too much to do” to get to the podium.
That was McCormack’s 18th European Cross Country Championships appearance.
🗣️ “It’s hard to sum it up, it’s never easy to come 4th and I’ve done it so many times at this stage that I really wanted to be on that podium ….. but I’m going to have to come again now so” - Fionnuala McCormack
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) December 10, 2023
An inspirational performance 👏#Brussels2023 @Ask123ie pic.twitter.com/ALiHQrfUOO
