Nick Griggs will be chasing his fourth successive individual medal at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal on 14 December.
After winning silver and bronze medals in the U20 race in 2022 and 2023 respectively, Griggs won another silver medal in his first appearance in the U23 race at last year’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Antalya.
Griggs just lost out in a sprint finish against Great Britain’s two-time reigning champion Will Barnicoat, who also pipped Griggs in a dramatic finish in the U20 race in sub-zero temperatures in Turin in 2022. The pair will resume their rivalry in the U23 race in Lagoa next month.
Ireland’s mixed relay team has been strengthened by the inclusion of last summer’s breakthrough performer Cian McPhilips who improved from 1:45.92 to 1:42.15 in the 800m and finished a surprise fourth in the 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
McPhillips, who is making his debut at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, joins a team which also includes world 1500m finalist Andrew Coscoran along with European U23 1500m bronze medallist Eimear Maher and Laura Nicholson.
Ireland will also have plausible medal aspirations in the senior men’s race. Their team includes recently crowned national cross country champion Brian Fay, former European U23 cross country silver medallist Darragh McElhinney and Efrem Gidey, the winner of the European 10,000m Cup in May.
US-based European U23 10,000m champion Anika Thompson has also been named on Ireland’s team in the U23 race while the senior women’s team includes national cross country champion Fiona Everard and Niamh Allen who finished 11th in Antalya last year.
Full team here.
