You only get a glimpse of the athlete’s progress if they decide to dip their toes into the mud at a cross-country race. That will be the case for many Irish athletes lining up on Sunday at the Templemore Sports Complex in Derry for the National Cross-Country Championships. Sunday’s event again serves as a trial event for next month’s European Cross-Country Championships in the Algarve. The junior women’s race will have an added level of interest if recent national marathon champion Ava Crean lines up in the 4,500m event. You need this quality of athlete to lift the medal chances for Irish women’s teams even at the European Cross-Country level.

Source: The Irish Times November 21, 2025 16:30 UTC