Mayo Athletes Shine at European Cross Country Championships
Two talented Mayo athletes represented their country with pride at teh European Cross Country Championships, held in Antalya, Turkey. Keelan Kilrehill of Moy Valley AC competed in the senior men’s race, while Caitlin Hughes of Swinford AC took on the challenge of the U20 women’s race. Kilrehill, who recently claimed the national cross country title, faced strong competition from his Irish teammates. Despite finishing ahead of Cormac Dalton and Efrem Gidey at the Irish championships just a month prior,kilrehill placed 53rd in Antalya,while Dalton and Gidey secured 21st and 26th positions,respectively. Another Irish competitor, Pierre murchan, finished ahead of Kilrehill in 41st. Fellow Connacht runner William Fitzgerald finished just behind Kilrehill, while Sean Tobin rounded out the Irish team in 63rd place. The Irish team ultimately finished eighth overall. Norway’s jakob Ingebrigtsen took home the gold in the senior men’s race. In the U20 women’s race,Caitlin Hughes delivered a strong performance over 4,500 meters. Having placed fifth at the recent national championships, Hughes finished a commendable 52nd in Antalya, ahead of Avril Millerick (66th) and Eva Bartlett (86th), both of whom had finished ahead of her at the nationals. The Irish U20 team placed sixth with Anna Gardiner, Lucy Foster, and Annabell Morrison finishing 19th, 20th, and 32nd, respectively. The day’s highlight for Ireland came from Co Tyrone’s Nick Griggs of Candour Track Club.The 19-year-old secured silver in the U23 men’s race, narrowly missing out on gold in a thrilling finish against defending champion Will Barnicoat (GBR). Griggs’ impressive performance builds on his bronze medal in the same event the previous year.Let’s bring in Keelan Kilrehill now, fresh off his performance at the European cross Country Championships. Keelan, congratulations on representing Ireland on the international stage.
Kilrehill, can you walk us through your race in Antalya?
You recently won the national title, so how did expectations compare to the reality of competing against some of Europe’s best?
This was a tough race with some very strong competitors. We saw some impressive runs from your Irish teammates.What are your reflections on the overall team performance?
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the upcoming season?
## Kilrehill Reflects on European Cross Country Championships
Let’s bring **Keelan Kilrehill** now, fresh off his performance at teh European Cross Country Championships. Keelan, congratulations on representing Ireland on the international stage.
**Q: keelan, can you walk us through your race in Antalya?**
**A:** It was a tough race, certainly faster than I anticipated. I tried to stay with the lead pack early on, but the pace was relentless.
**Q: You recently won the national title, so how did expectations compare to the reality of competing against some of europe’s best?**
**A:** Winning nationals definitely gave me confidence, but the European Championships is a whole different level. The depth of talent is incredible, and I learned a lot about where I stand.
**Q: This was a tough race with some very strong competitors. We saw some remarkable runs from your Irish teammates .What are your reflections on the overall team performance?**
**A:** The guys ran really well. Cormac and Efrem had fantastic races, and it shows the strength of Irish cross country running.
**Q: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the upcoming season?**
**A:** I want to build on this experience and continue to improve. I’ll focus on my training and aim to be even more competitive at next year’s championships.
