European Cross Country Championships 2009
I was in Dublin on Sunday 13 December for the 2009 European Cross Country Championships at Santry Park. Unfortunately I wasn't quite fast enough to make the British team but had a good time watching all the races. Out of the 6 races (junior, under 23, senior) Britain won 6 team medals and 6 individual medals.
Hayley and GarethWhilst watching the start of the under 23 ladies race I bumped into Hayley Yelling who had recently come out of retirement to be the surprise winner of the UK trials in Liverpool. I wished her luck for the senior ladies race but didn't expect her to do quite so well. She took the lead early on in the race and held on brilliantly to win and become European Cross Country Champion for the second time having also won it 5 years ago in 2004.
In the senior men's race Britain's Mo Farah was up against the Ethiopian runner Alemayehu Bezabeh who was representing Spain and the eight times former winner Sergei Lebid from the Ukraine. Bezabeh ran a superb last lap to win whilst Mo who collapsed after crossing the finishing line had to settle for second and Lebid came third.
After the races had finished we did a bit more athlete stalking and I managed to get my photo taken with world triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee who had run in the under 23 race.
The funniest moment of the weekend was when the on course commentator was announcing the winners of the men's under 23 team competition. "And in first place representing France its the team from France".
I got a few early morning runs in along the prom at Clontarf. Its not quite as scenic as Portobello prom but we did get to see a really impressive sunrise over the Irish Sea. Also went on a stadium tour of Croke Park and had a go at Gaelic Football and Hurling. I was not very good at either and quickly realised that I'm better off sticking to the running.
The next International Cross Country event is even closer to home in Holyrood Park on Saturday 9 January 2010. It should be a good race as Kenenisa Bekele is in the line up.
Report Gareth Green
