This was peak Fionnuala McCormack – fast, fluent and fighting to the bitter end. “We all know how much I love cross country,” said McCormack. The crowds were unbelievable.”Having missed 2018 while pregnant, McCormack relished this return to the international scene, fighting through the field over the latter half. “It was real cross country,” she said. “This was proper tough – real hills, real muck, real water, everything was real about it and the support was as well.”Elsewhere there was little to cheer for the Irish, with McCormack’s teammate Sara Treacy finishing 73rd.

Source: Irish Examiner March 31, 2019 15:45 UTC