While Fionnuala Britton heads to tomorrow’s 20th European-Cross Country Championships in Belgrade in search of a hat-trick of titles with customary quiet steely resolve, her bigger ambition is to ultimately join the likes of Sonia O’Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan as Ireland’s greatest distance runners.

By Will Downing

Robert Heffernan crowned a fairytale season when he was named Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards at the Crowne Plaza in Dublin yesterday.

Fionnuala Britton triumphed in convincing fashion at the Woodie’s DIY National Inter-County Cross-Country championships at Santry Demesne yesterday, while Paul Pollock dominated the men’s race and declared himself a contender for the European championships in December.

The historic Irish women’s European cross country winning team are unlikely to compete at the World Championships in Poland in March according to Athletics Ireland High Performance Director Kevin Ankrom.

Fionnuala Britton was already looking to the future after yesterday’s sensational performance at the European Cross-Country Championships in snowy Budapest.

Fionnuala Britton has created history by becoming the first ever woman to retain the European cross country title and has led Ireland to the team gold.

Joe Sweeney of Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club triumphed in yesterday’s Woodie’s DIY National Inter-County Cross Country Championships at Tattersalls in Meath.

Dundrum South Dublin pair Joe Sweeney and Ava Hutchinson claimed the titles at today’s Woodies DIY National Cross Country Championships in Ratoath Co.Meath.

European Cross Country champion Fionnuala Britton began the defence of her European title with a fourth-place finish in Burgos, Spain.

Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia yesterday smashed the course record when he cruised to victory in the SPAR Great Ireland Run in Dublin’s Phoenix Park yesterday.

Two Sumatran Tiger cubs born at Dublin Zoo in May took centre stage again today after a nationwide competition found names for them.