by Alfonz Juck
2018 Euro Cross Country Champs, photo by European Athletics
I love European Athletics and how they have supported the cross country. They have their issues, but with almost 600 athletes and 29 countries/51 associations, it is the biggest cross country event in the world. EAA is saving cross country. And that, as Martha Stewart might say, ” a good thing.”
EURO CC NEWS
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Olympic 5000m sixth-placer Andy Butchart will lead a full size British team for the European Cross Country Championships in Lisbon next month. Trials winners Ben Connor and Jessica Judd, plus twice European silver medallist Kate Avery and Charlotte Arter join him in the senior races. World Championships representatives Sarah McDonald and Alexandra Bell are both included in the mixed relay.
MADRID (ESP): Ouassim Oumaiz, silver medallist in the U20 race last year, boosts Spain’s full-strength team for the European Cross Country Championships. Oumaiz will step straight up to senior level and join Carlos Mayo, who has won silver medals at both U20 and U23 level. Former European 10,000m bronze medallist Antonio Abadia will compete at the championships for the ninth time and European 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Fernando Carro has also been included. From Spain’s winning mixed relay team of last year, Esther Guerrero and Solange Pereira both return.
BERNE (SUI): European 10km and half marathon record-holder Julien Wanders will compete at the European Cross Country Championships. Another individual medal contender is European U20 1500m champion Delia Sclabas who won a silver medal in the U20 race last year.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Belgium is sending 21 athletes to the European Cross Country Championships including Isaac Kimeli, Michael Somers and brothers Soufiane and Lahsene Bouchikhi in the senior men’s race. Another medal contender is Tim Van de Velde in the U20 men’s race while Belgium is also fielding a mixed relay team.
VIENNA (AUT): Austria is sending 10 runners. The only team will be U20 girls. The leader of the team is Andreas Vojta for the men´s senior race, it will be his 11th appearance at the event in a row.
PRAHA (CZE): Czech Republic will have 12 runners for Lisbon. Six of them competed also last year. Czech Champion in women senior category Moira Stewartova is the most experienced. Senior men will be marathon runner Jiri Homolac and Jakub Zemanik. Two teams will be U23 and 20 boys.
