THERE WAS A nice piece of history written at the National Cross Country Championships today, as two sisters made the senior women’s podium for the first time ever.
Fionnuala McCormack stormed to the gold medal — her ninth national title — in style, leading the field from gun to tape, to record a time of 28.41 in the 8km.
One of the great pairings in Irish sport: Fionnuala McCormack and cross country. She takes her ninth national title by a country mile - (athletes in shot are being lapped) pic.twitter.com/cKLwVUnmqQ
— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) November 24, 2019
Her sister, Una Britton, landed bronze in the same race, making the senior women’s event at the Irish Life Health National Senior, Junior and Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships a real family affair.
And afterwards, the Kilcoole AC duo shared their joy at the Sport Ireland Campus:
Sister sister! 🙏
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) November 24, 2019
Gold and bronze medallists Fionnuala McCormack and Una Britton react after the national cross country 🇮🇪🏆🇮🇪
"It's a great day for our family, our club." pic.twitter.com/pggcHPl4vn
“Getting to be on the podium with her is definitely good,” Britton smiled afterwards, while her Olympian sister added: “It’s a great day for our family, for our club, and it’s always good when you stand on top of any podium.”
Now, they both head to Lisbon for the Europeans.
It tops a good few weeks for Wicklow star McCormack, who recently smashed her marathon PB to secure Tokyo 2020 qualification. But she shone at her beloved Cross Country today.
A piece of history, two sisters on the Senior women’s podium for the first time ever!
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) November 24, 2019
🥇Fionnuala McCormack kilcoole AC
🥈Mary Mulhare Portlaoise AC
🥉Una Britton Kilcoole AC pic.twitter.com/Bb75nZlinq
It was Portlaoise AC’s Mary Mulhare who finished second, while elsewhere, Tullamore Harriers’ Liam Brady produced a brave run from the front to take the senior men’s 10,000m crown.
Knocking on the door for years, today he was crowned Irish cross country champion for the first time — and it meant quite a lot.
An emotional Liam Brady reacts to being crowned national senior cross country champion. What a performance from the teak-tough Tullamore Harrier! 🇮🇪🏅🇮🇪🙏 pic.twitter.com/eW5kwbvUgX
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) November 24, 2019
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
