BY LEE MAGINNIS
NORTHERN Ireland was exceptionally well represented with our athletes producing fine performances at Sunday’s European Cross Country Championships 2024, held in Turkey’s fifth largest city, Antalya.
There was definitely a lot less mud on display than would be typical at Northern Irish cross country races, the course was relatively flat and had the odd artificial hurdle included which barely broke the stride of the athletes. The surface was grass, gravel and sand.
In the U20 women’s race, Anna Gardiner, of East Down AC, had flown back from Providence in the USA where she is studying on a scholarship and competing in the collegiate system. She joined Lucy Foster, the Irish U20 trial winner, of Willowfield Temperance Harriers. Annabel Morrison (Enniskillen AC) and Eva Bartlett (Lagan Valley AC) were also in the Irish team of six.
Anna Gardiner and Lucy Foster were neck and neck for most of the race, with Anna finally just getting ahead to finish 19th with Lucy 20th. Annabel was 32nd and Eva 86th.
These performances helped the Irish U20 women’s team to 6th position.
The U23 race saw a surprise win in a sprint finish for Great Britain’s Phoebe Anderson. The Irish team again included a returning contingent from the USA with Ava O’Connor flying in from Adams State University. Northern Ireland had Roise Roberts, making a remarkable third appearance at the European Cross Country, along with Finn Valley’s Amy Greene. The Irish team finished 5th with Roise 50th and Amy 54th.
Finally, the senior women… Ann Marie McGlynn, as we reported previously, had scored an outstanding victory in the Irish trial, three weeks after winning the Dublin marathon. The F40 athlete was the sole NI representative on the Irish team and her 62nd position made her the third scorer for Ireland, helping the team to 10th place.
Roise Roberts
Anna Gardiner
