ANDREW LEDWITH (Fr. Murphy’s) has been named on the Irish senior men’s team for the world cross-country championships at the end of the month in what could prove a very wise decision by the selectors.

Cathal Lombard beat Alistair Cragg (pictured) into second place to win the Irish Cross-Country title in Belfast today.

MARTIN FAGAN and Mary Cullen are named in the Irish senior teams for the European cross-country championships in Toro, near Madrid, on Sunday week.

LAST summer Gary Murray was told by the renowned Munich sports injury specialist, Dr Hans Mueller, that his back was in such bad shape that he should not be running at all.

AFTER the glitter of the European indoor championships, the spotlight swings to Sligo Racecourse this weekend where teak-tough Clareman Seamus Power bids to reclaim the national inter-clubs cross-country title.

Fionnuala Britton took silver today for Ireland in the Under 23 event at the Spar European Cross Country Championships in Legnano, Italy.

MARK CHRISTIE is not among the medal favourites for the U23 men’s race at the SPAR European cross-country championships in San Giorgio su Legnano, but that won’t bother the 21 year-old Mullingar man on Sunday.

SEAMUS POWER bids to win the National senior inter-counties cross-country title for a sensational 10th time at St Augustine’s College, Dungarvan, on Sunday.

Only one Irish athlete per race will compete in next month's World Cross-Championships in Japan.

VINNY MULVEY of Raheny Shamrocks raced to a comprehensive winning debut in the Ballycotton 10 yesterday as Ireland’s most popular road race entered a new dimension - with a record field of more than 3,000.

VINNY MULVEY (Raheny Shamrock) made the 100-metre trip from his apartment to claim the National inter-club cross-country championship title in spectacular fashion at Santry Demesne on Saturday from young Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) and his flatmate, Killian Lonergan.

THE absence of the likes of reigning champion Gary Murray (injured) has thrown today’s national senior inter-club cross-country championships at Santry Demesne wide open. And it could be just the race for Vinny Mulvey.

MARK CARROLL showed he is pumped up for tomorrow’s ING New York City Marathon by launching a stinging attack on Irish Sports Council chairman John Treacy on the eve of the race.

EUROPEAN gold medallist Alistair Cragg is considering an audacious attempt at the 4km and 12km titles on successive days at the World Cross-Country Championships in Saint-Etienne/Saint-Galmier next weekend.

MARK CHRISTIE, one of the country’s most exciting athletes, is all set to bring down the curtain on his junior career with a stylish performance at the European Cross-country Championships in Heringsdorf, Germany, on Sunday.

MANY athletes are turning their attentions to the marathon. Over 10,000 are heading for Dublin on October 25 but Mark Carroll has his sights on a big one.

KENENISA BEKELE maintained his stranglehold on cross-country running with another spectacular double at the world cross-country championships in Brussels.

THE distance runners will reclaim the limelight from the sprinters at the national inter-club cross-country championships on Sunday in Roscommon where Catherina McKiernan makes an overdue return to domestic competition.

SÉAMUS POWER took the national Inter-counties Cross-Country Championships to a new level in Belvedere, Mullingar, yesterday, when he once again battled his way through the pain barrier to win the title for an amazing ninth successive time.

KEITH KELLY may be in flying form right now, and Seamus Power and Peter Matthews are back on track, but Ireland will have to wait for news of Alastair Cragg’s plans before assessing the medal hopes in the men’s race at next month’s European cross-country championships in Edinburgh.