Three-times SPAR European Cross Country Championships medallist Ilona Mononen launched her winter campaign with a double victory at the Finnish Cross Country Championships in Vöyri on Saturday (11).
She took the morning 10km race and returned later to grab the 4k title too. Although she was given a scare in the latter by national 5000m champion Aino Suni, who was only one second behind at the finish, she took her second win of the day in 13:42.
Over 10km, she has raced an energy-conserving race, moving clear in the final 2km to win in 35:58.
Multi-medallist eyes Lagoa
Mononen, who enjoyed an excellent summer winning the 3000m steeplechase at both the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships and Madrid 2025 European Athletics Team Championships 1st Division, is expected to be in the mix for medal once again at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa on 14 December.
She was bronze medallist in the women’s U23 race at Antalya 2024, silver medallist in the women’s U23 race in Brussels 2023 and silver in the women’s U20 race in Piemonte-La Mandria Park 2022.
Aged 21, she is still eligible for the U23 race and will be striving to complete a medal set in Lagoa. The men’s national cross country titles in Vöyri were won by Tuomas Heikkilä (10km) and Mustafe Muuse (4km).