Fionnuala Britton had an encouraging second place at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country in challenging conditions at Holyrood Park on Saturday.

ATHLETICS: Fionnuala Britton opens her 2015 competition schedule at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country as part of Team Europe in Holyrood Park today.

A surprise, but welcome, women’s team bronze medal brightened up a mixed day of Irish performances in Borovets as Fionnuala Britton battled to a sixth place finish at the European Cross Country Championships yesterday.

Fionnuala Britton led Ireland women’s team to bronze at today’s European cross country championships in Samokova, Bulgaria.

Fionnuala Britton and Europe’s best distance runners face one of the most challenging courses in European Cross-Country Championship history in Bulgaria tomorrow.

Cold and muddy conditions will greet the Irish athletes when they arrive to the Bulgarian mountain resort of Borovets this evening for the 21st European Cross-Country Championships.

Fionnuala Britton will earn her 31st international cap at next month’s European cross country championships in Bulgaria.

Mark English has confirmed that Nic Bideau will be his new coach as well as his agent next season.

Mark English has said he is aiming to get his 800 metre time down enough for a podium position at the Olympics.

ATHLETICS: Mark English is in line to win the overall athlete of the year award at the 2014 National Athletics Awards in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry this afternoon, while Bandon’s Phil Healy is in contention for emerging athlete of the year.

Athletics: Fionnuala Britton romped to her fifth GloHealth Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships title in Dundalk yesterday while Paul Pollock defended his crown in a thrilling three-way sprint finish.

Fionnuala Britton stole the show at Sunday’s GloHealth Inter County cross country championship and declared her aim to win a third European cross country title.

Fionnuala Britton raced to her second consecutive Glo Health Inter-Counties cross-country title and declared she was ready for a third European cross country title.

Athletics: Fionnuala Britton was first woman across the line in the Autumn Cross-Country open 8km race at the Phoenix Park yesterday.

It was bittersweet for the Irish on the final day of the European championships in Zurich as Paul Robinson and Ciarán Ó Lionáird had two conflicting reasons to rue the 1500m final while the men’s 4x400m relay ran another national record of 3:01.67 to place fifth.

Two new national records were set by Irish relay teams on the penultimate day of the European Athletics Championships in Zurich.

Fionnuala Britton’s debut marathon catapulted her to fourth in the Irish all-time list as the double European cross-country champion finished tenth at the European Championships 26-miler in Zurich.

Athletics Ireland High Performance Director Kevin Ankrom has defended the decision to not follow the European marathon selection policy for the women’s team with the late inclusion of Fionnuala Britton and Sarah Mulligan by declaring it as only a guideline.

Mark English put in a classy performance to win heat two of the men’s 800m in 1:47.38 on a positive day for the Irish athletes at the European Track and Field Championships in Zurich.

Ireland's Fionnuala Britton had to make-do with eighth place as 40-year-old Jo Pavey made athletics history in Zurich this evening.

Thomas Barr comfortably cruised into Wednesday’s semi-finals of the 400 metres hurdles on the opening morning of the European Athletics Championships in Zurich.

Thomas Barr comfortably cruised into today’s semi-finals of the 400 metres hurdles on the opening morning of the European Athletics Championships in Zurich.

It's been a mixed day so far for the Irish at the European Championships in Zurich.

Sonia O’Sullivan believes Ireland’s athletes must grasp the opportunity to make their mark on the senior international stage at the European Track and Field Championships starting in Zurich this morning.

The shock announcement on Sunday that Fionnuala Britton will run in the marathon at the European Championships on August 16 is a high-risk strategy which has raised eyebrows in the athletics community.

Fionnuala Britton has made a shock decision to run the European championship marathon later this month.

Leevale AC’s men and DSD women proved themselves to be the best in the country when they emerged victorious at the GloHealth National League Final at Tullamore Harriers Stadium yesterday.

Rob Heffernan will lead an Irish team of 25 athlete’s to Zurich for next months Europeans, which take place from August 12 – 17.

Ciaran O’Lionard shot to victory at today’s Glo Health national senior track and field championships taking 1500-metre gold and a European championship slot.

Fionnuala Britton sprinted to the Women’s 5,000 metre title at today’s Glo Health Senior track and field championships in Santry stadium.

Home favourite Rob Heffernan finished fourth in the 3km walk at the Cork City Sports meet tonight, but was pleased to set a new personal best over the distance as he continues his preparations for the European Championships.

Another masters world record for Robert Heffernan in the men’s 3,000m race walk and a sub 50 second 400m hurdles for Thomas Barr as an engaging 63rd Cork City Sports last night in Bishopstown gave a significant marker for what lies at ahead at the European Championships in Zurich in August.

Rob Heffernan will be making a short stopover in Cork on Tuesday evening as he attempts to defend his Cork City Sports 3,000m race-walk title.

GloHealth and Athletics Ireland today announced GloHealth’s sponsorship of athletics in Ireland.

Athletics: Ireland finished a solid seventh out of 12 teams at the European Team Championships 1st League in Tallinn, Estonia yesterday with some notable victories on the track.

Irish 400m hurdles record holder Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) will headline an Irish team of 45 athletes at the European Team Championships 1st League in Tallinn, Estonia this weekend.

It was a notable weekend for Irish athletics with Thomas Barr and Mark English enjoying the perfect build-up to the European Championships with some stunning displays.

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Fionnuala Britton had that familiar fourth feeling akin to the European cross country championships at a windswept Phoenix Park yesterday where Poland’s Iwona Lewandowska was a surprise winner at the Spar Great Ireland Run 10k in 33:39.

There are questions I asked, and questions I wish I’d asked. Over the years in sporting situations, some queries have materialised in the frontal lobes before being pushed to the back of the cranium, where they hang remain, spiky and unfulfilled.

Fionnuala Britton talks films, fears and the Spar Great Ireland Run

Irish Olympian Derval O’Rourke has called on Athletics Ireland to become more athlete-focused when considering financial outlay in future.

Derval O’Rourke and Ciarán Ó Lionáird have expressed disappointment at the level of funding they are set to receive in 2014.

The National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, tucked away down a nondescript laneway just off the M50, is a quaint kind of building for a place only turning 21 this year.