FIONNUALA BRITTON LED Ireland to a bronze medal in the women’s team event at the European Cross Country Championships in Bulgaria this morning.
The two-time champion was unable to replicate her individual podium performances from 2011 and 2012, but her sixth place helped Ireland to a points total of 88 in the Samokov race – just one ahead of fourth-placed France.
Sara Treacy ran a superb race to come in 12th, with Michelle Finn a further 11 places back and Annmarie McGlynn battling to finish 46th.
Britain claimed gold in the team event thanks to a one-two finish on the podium, Kate Avery losing out to Gemma Steel.
“We knew coming in that we had a chance of a medal,” said Britton, “all the girls on the team are real cross country runners. So we knew that we would all battle all the way around the course, no matter what the conditions were.”
And the Wicklow woman added that the team element to the race kept her pushing in the final stages despite there only being one individual medal position in view.
“On the last lap, with the other two girls away [Steel & Avery], it was a medal race and I really just wanted to get that medal. I tried really hard but my legs just weren’t going. I battled all the way as I knew every place mattered and I would be devastated if I had of lost it for the girls.”
Ireland’s bronze at the altitude course is just their third team medal at the European Cross Country Championships, the most recent coming with Britton’s last individual gold in 2012.
The men’s team meanwhile finished sixth in their cross country race, Paul Pollock the best Irish finisher in 23rd.
- Originally published 13.00
