IRISH ATHLETE FIONNUALA Britton has secured the gold medal at the 18th SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Velenje, Slovenia.
She is only the second ever Irish athlete to win the gold medal after Catherina McKiernan, who won the event in 1994.
Britton established her lead early on and finished ahead of Portugal’s Felix, who took second place and Britain’s Gemma Steel, who came third.
Speaking in the aftermath of her success, Britton told Will Downing that the win “makes up for last year,” referring to when she came agonisingly close to winning a medal, only to lose out following a photo finish. She added:
“I knew what I had to do today, and I hoped that what I had to do was going to be enough and it was.
“I knew my strength was going to be in the distance and I knew some other girls would be the same but I knew that if I sat around and waited, anything could happen, so the more I was out in front, the more I was determined that I was going to win it.”
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In the men’s race, Joe Sweeney also put in a commendable performance, finishing in fifth place, with the Irish team coming sixth overall, in a race that was won by Atelaw Bekele of Belgium.
Meanwhile, in the U23 event, Sarah Louise Treacy came 18th in the women’s race, while Michael Mulhare finished 31st in the men’s race.
Well done, massive achievement!
From a runner’s POV, what where the stats for the race, ie: times and distance covered?
You wouldn’t report on a soccar match and say that a team won without giving the score! Same for a race: time and distance next time please.
I don’t get all the thumbs down; this is standard journalistic practice, just read the race results in any newspaper. I presume readers would like the journal wants to maintain the highest standards of journalism?
Haven’t a huge interest in athletics but watched the race and what an impressive win. Attacked early and led from start to finish with huge confidence. Super display.
(On a side note I could do without having Spar on the actual Gold Medal!)
Irish women are doing so good in sports right now & should be getting more coverage, support & acolades.
They are just as dedicated as their male counterparts.
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Fair play to her…
Delighted
Great job, pity the bbc coverage couldn’t get her name right and decided to talk through the medal ceremony and our national anthem
Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!! Gold Medal !!!!!
the best thing to have come out of Kilcoole since Glenroe :)
Well done, massive achievement!
From a runner’s POV, what where the stats for the race, ie: times and distance covered?
You wouldn’t report on a soccar match and say that a team won without giving the score! Same for a race: time and distance next time please.
I don’t get all the thumbs down; this is standard journalistic practice, just read the race results in any newspaper. I presume readers would like the journal wants to maintain the highest standards of journalism?
Haven’t a huge interest in athletics but watched the race and what an impressive win. Attacked early and led from start to finish with huge confidence. Super display.
(On a side note I could do without having Spar on the actual Gold Medal!)
Irish women are doing so good in sports right now & should be getting more coverage, support & acolades.
They are just as dedicated as their male counterparts.
Bravo well done !
Great result. Congratulations!
Superb performance,really well done and good luck for future events.