Tullamore Harriers duo prepare to do battle in Brussels
Two Tullamore Harriers athletes are part of an exciting Irish team which is preparing to compete in the 29th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships which take place at Laeken Park, Brussels next Sunday, December 10.
Danielle Donegan from Tullamore and Ava O'Connor from Mountmellick are the two Tullamore Harriers athletes who have been selected on the Irish squad.
Coached by Emmett Dunleavy, Donegan (22) finished third in the Senior race at the National Cross Country Championships recently, and was first U23.
Danielle, who recently finished her studies in UCD, was the highest Irish finisher in the U23 race at the European Cross Country Championships last year (28th). The Donegan family is steeped in athletics with many members of the clan representing Harriers with distinction at various levels.
O'Connor represented Ireland at the European Team Championships this year and the European U23 Championships, both in the 3000m Steeplechase.
Currently studying at Adams State University in the United States of America, Ava claimed 17th place at the NCAA Division Two Championships on November 18.
Fionnuala McCormack will headline the Irish squad as she takes to her 18th European Cross Country Championships, following her superb Olympic qualifying time (2:26.19) at the Valencia marathon last weekend.
Brussels 2023 follows last year’s championships in Piemonte, Italy which saw Ireland claim a record five medals, bettering the three medals won at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships which were hosted in Fingal, Dublin.
The European Athletics Cross Country Championships will be broadcast live on RTE2 (Senior races) from 1pm and on the RTE Player. Action will also be streamed live on the European Athletics All TV platform in partnership with RTE. The Ireland squad is as follows below.
U20 Women
Anna Gardiner (East Down AC), Peter Morgan (coach).
Amy Greene (Finn Valley), Helen McCready
Kirsty Maher (Moy Valley), Andy Bibby & Phillip Finnerty
Maebh Richardson (Kilkenny City Harriers), Ian Solof/Niamh Richardson/Noel Richardson
Avril Millerick (Youghal AC) Noel Curtin & Joe Ryan
Hannah Kehoe (Kilkenny City Harriers), Niamh Richardson.
U20 Men
Niall Murphy (Ennis Track Club), Pat Hogan (coach)
Jonas Stafford (UCD AC), Feidhlim Kelly
Harry Colbert (Waterford AC), Des Colbert
Seamus Robinson (City of Derry Spartans AC), Martin Robinson
Nick Griggs (CNDR Track Club), Mark Kirk
Shane Brosnan (An Riocht), Alexander Gibby.
U23 Women
Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers), Emmett Dunleavy (coach)
Aoife Coffey (Lucan Harriers) Niamh & Eoin Fitzgerald
Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC), Donal Hennigan
Aoife O'Cuill (St Coca's), Joe Ryan
Ava O'Connor (Tullamore Harriers), Damon Martin
Anika Thompson (Leevale AC), Shalane Flanagan/Ken Nason.
U23 Men
Oisin Spillane (Ennis Track Club), Rory Chesser (coach)
Callum Morgan (CNDR Track Club), Mark Kirk
Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers), Jim McGuinness
Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers), Ray Treacy
Michael Morgan (Sligo AC), Ray Treacy
Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club), Sean Carlson.
Senior Women
Fiona Everard (Bandon AC), Matt Lockett (coach)
Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC), Michael Mulhare
Fionnuala Ross (Armagh AC), no coach
Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole AC), Alan McCormack
Eilish Flanagan (Finn Valley), Damon Martin
Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley), Damon Martin.
Senior Men
Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers), Joe Ryan (coach)
Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club), Pat Hogan
Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC), Feidhlim Kelly
Keelan Kilrehill (Moy Valley), Emmett Dunleavy
Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC), Feidhlim Kelly
Fearghal Curtin (Youghal AC), James Thie.