ATHLETICS:IRISH ATHLETICS could sure use an injection of optimism at the moment and Sunday's European Cross Country championships in Brussels looks set to provide it. After the general disappointment of the Beijing Olympics, then the bickering within Athletics Ireland of recent weeks, the talk is more sporting at the moment with real medal potential across all six races, and none more than Martin Fagan in the senior men.
Although Catherina McKiernan famously won the gold medal in the inaugural edition of these championships back in 1994, the Irish senior men haven't done so well - the bronze medals back in 2000, inspired by Peter Mathews in 10th position, being the best result to date. Fagan did provide the highest individual placing last year, finishing seventh, and his form of recent months, particularly on the roads, suggests he's well capable of getting into the medals this time.
"If this race was on the road then I'd be very confident," says Fagan, who this morning travels from his training base at Flagstaff, Arizona, straight into Brussels. "I'm always very confident, and more comfortable, on the roads. But my workouts have been going very well recently so I'd still be hopeful I can mix it with the best in cross country as well. I'm certainly ready to run with them."
Even if Fagan doesn't get into the individual medals there is equal hope of team medals, with fellow US-based athlete Andrew Ledwith in similarly good form after taking third in the recent NCAA cross country, while Mark Carroll's inclusion brings further class and experience.
"We've always talked about having the potential to medal at Europeans," adds Fagan. "We've never been fortunate enough to get a full squad. Fortunately, it seems like Andrew's made a breakthrough and is running really well. Mark hasn't really run cross in a long time but decided to give it one last go. So I think we're definitely looking strong this year."
The senior women had looked equally poised to challenge for a team medal, until both Fionnuala Britton and Aoife Byrne were forced to withdraw through injury. Mary Cullen is returning to her best form and should challenge for a top-10 place, but it's in the under-23 race - where Britton won the silver medal two years ago - where the women's medal chances look best.
Dundrum's Linda Byrne was sixth last year, and returns with obvious hopes of going better, possibly challenging for the gold, although Romania's Ancuta Bobocel, the defending champion, is definitely the athlete to beat.
David McCarthy, also based at college in the US, will lead the challenge in the men's under-23 race, while both junior teams won't have anything to fear at this level, and if they do run to their potential can also break into medal-winning territory. Both RTÉ and BBC have live coverage of Sunday's races.
IRISH TEAMS - EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS: Men - Senior: A McCormack, M Fagan, A Ledwith, M Christie, M Carroll, G Murray. Under-23: D McCarthy, R Yeates, M Clohisey P Pollock, J Coghlan, J Fahy. Junior: C Murphy, M Mulhare, D Flynn, S Quinn, P Flynn, I Ward. Women - Senior: M Cullen, D Byrne, A Hutchinson, R Ryan, H Murphy, K Harty. Under-23: L Byrne, H Knight, C Durkan, E O'Brien, A Baker, R-A Galligan. Junior: S Treacy, C Ffrench O'Carroll, R Ffrench O'Carroll, C Mageean, L McCarthy, T Jameson.
