Athletics European cross country championshipsThat Irish distance running has now come to a distinct turning point is made evident by tomorrow's European cross country championships. No longer able to call on the old guards like Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan, or Mark Carroll and Séamus Power, it looks firmly towards the future, and the hopes of the next generation.
This inevitable shift is emphasised by the fact tomorrow's championships, to be staged in the remote German town of Heringsdorf, has the junior men's team carrying the main Irish ambitions. Never in the 11 editions of these championships has the Irish underage talent been the major focus.
Such pressure is harder to handle at aged 19, but Mark Christie is suitably prepared to lead both the individual and team medal chances. Sixth last year in Edinburgh, tomorrow brings his last race in the junior ranks, and it promises to be his best.
The Mullingar athlete, now a student at DCU, was the top-ranked junior 3,000 metres runner in Europe last summer, and a class apart when winning the intercounties title in Dungarvan a fortnight ago. Still, there are no guarantees even at junior level.
"It's going to be tough," says Christie. "The Russian twins that were first and second for the past two years are back again, and have been so, so dominant. In a way I've been unlucky to come up against them. But last year opened my eyes, and I wasn't far off the top. So hopefully with another year behind me and the bit more experience I can stay up there a little longer, and improve on last year."
Christie has good reason to fear the Russian twins, Yevgeniy and Anatoliy Rybakov. Yevgeniy is the two-time defending champion, and two months ago finished 25th in the senior men's world half-marathon championships. Six years ago Gareth Turnbull won individual bronze at this level, and if Christie can draw the absolute best from himself, then he can possibly match that.
There is the added target of a team medal, but again Christie's chief support of Andrew Ledwith, Mark Hanrahan and Jamie McCarthy will all need the finest races of their junior careers.
When the Irish senior women won silver medals in Edinburgh it was assumed they could probably do something similar a year on. Instead they'll be lucky to feature among the top eight. With O'Sullivan out injured, and McKiernan and Ann Keenan Buckley retired, only Jolene Byrne remains from last year's team.
Yet while the Irish women can forget about winning team medals this time, Maria McCambridge - the newly-crowned intercounties champion - can definitely think about a top-10 finish. The 5.6km race is in fact remarkably open and, at her very best, McCambridge should be able to mix it with anyone else in the relatively weak field.
For the senior men, the absence of the injured Alistair Cragg has denied Ireland a shot at an individual medal, and so again the focus lies on the less-established talents. Fresh from winning his first intercounties title, US-based Vinny Mulvey should lead the way home with a possible top-20 finish, but Dublin's Mark Kenneally probably has the greater potential to latch on to the leading finishers. Cork's Fiachra Lombard is coming back from injury, but is reportedly running very well.
What is certain is that Sergiy Lebid of the Ukraine is the man to beat. A four-time winner already, Lebid simply cruised to the title last year, and remains the best cross country runner in Europe. Like everyone else though, he still has to do the business on the day.
SENIOR MEN: Vinnie Mulvey (Raheny Shamrocks), Gary Murray (St Malachy's), Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe), Eoin Higgins (St Coca's), Paul McNamara (Athenry), Fiachra Lombard (Leevale).
SENIOR WOMEN: Maria McCambridge (DSD), Jolene Byrne (Donore), Deirdre Byrne (Sli Chulainn), Mary Margaret Meade (North Belfast), Pauline Curley (Tullamore), Orla O'Mahony (UCD).
JUNIOR MEN: Mark Christie (Mullingar), Andrew Ledwith (Fr Murphy), Mark Hanrahan (Leevale), Jamie McCarthy (Riverstick/Kinsale), Danny Darcy (St Laurence O'Toole), Joe Sweeney (DSD).
JUNIOR WOMEN: Roseanne Galligan (Newbridge), Linda Byrne (DSD) Tracey Williams (Tallaght), Ashling Baker (DSD), Aoife Talty (Raheny Shamrock), Breffni Twohig (DSD).
