Athletics Ireland have confirmed that both the men’s and women’s National Cross-Country Championships in Enniskillen later this month will be raced over 7.5km, the shortest distance it has ever been for the men.
This follows the latest directive from European Athletics, who last year announced “a historic twist” in having both the men’s and women’s races at the European Cross-Country run over the same distance for the first time.
On that occasion, however, both the men and women raced over 9km, which for the women was actually double the distance of the first European Cross-Country. Conditions at that event in Brussels were far from ideal, and despite the aspiration of gender balance the women did struggle with the distance more than the men.
As a result, European Athletics have now cut both distances back to just 7.5km for next month’s event, set for Antalya, Turkey on December 8th. It will also be the shortest distance the men have ever raced at a European Cross-Country.
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The 2024 National Cross-Country Championships, which take place on Sunday week, November 17th, at Castle Irvine Estate in Enniskillen, also acts as the trial for the European Cross-Country, which has proven a happy medal hunting ground for Irish athletes in recent years.
On that basis, Athletics Ireland agreed both their men’s and women’s senior races would also be run over 7.5k, when until recent years the men always ran 10km. As with the European Cross-Country, in its 30th edition this year, the men’s and women’s under-20 races will be run over 4.5km, and the men’s and women’s under-23 races over 6km, those distances also cut back down on last year.
Sonia O’Sullivan believes the new 7.5km distance for both men and women may ultimately be beneficial in improving the competitiveness of the event.
“I think for the women yes, 7.5km is fine,” says O’Sullivan. “It might make the men’s race more exciting too, in some ways. Because otherwise people just start running away and it can get a bit boring as the leaders just get further and further away.
“It might be better for the Irish men, to keep a few more in it for longer. But the NCAA cross-country in the US is still 10km for men, and 6km for women, and they’re still college runners.”
At last year’s National Cross-Country, raced over 9km, Cormac Dalton from Mullingar and Fiona Everard from Bandon won by contrasting distances, Dalton winning by just two seconds, with Everard enjoying a stunning victory margin of 37 seconds.
At last year’s European Cross-Country, Nick Griggs also saw out his under-20 eligibility by leading the Irish team to gold medals, as well as his individual bronze.
Fionnuala McCormack also finished fourth in the senior women’s event, for the fifth time, a week after running the Paris Olympic marathon standard. That was also a record 18th appearance in the event, and although recently turned 40, McCormack certainly hasn’t ruled out another appearance on December 8th.
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