FIONNUALA BRITTON, IRELAND’S double European cross-country champion, has comfortably qualified for the 3000m final in the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg.
The Kilcoole star was competing in just her 10th ever indoor race, and her first in a major championship, and she had no issue sticking with the pace set by former European silver medallist Sarah Moreira in the first heat.
Britton formed part of a three-woman breakaway group with three laps remaining and, with four qualifying places of offer, her passage was assured.
“I got what I wanted out of that today, I was only looking for a top four,” she said afterwards.
“Now that I’m in the final I’m going to give it a real go. I’ll have to go back now and see how I’ll go about that, I had to just focus first today on getting through.
“I will probably have to run a personal best to win a medal. But no one has really run that fast this year so I’m focussing on the positives.”
The final will take place at 11.10am Irish time on Sunday.
