Christie claims first national senior title
But he left the Irish selectors in something a dilemma as he has delayed a decision on whether he will run in the U23 or the senior race at the European cross-country championships in Italy next month.
“I won’t decide on anything until I discuss the matter with my coach (David Burke) but, right now my preference would be the U23’s,” he said, after a power packed performance that saw him split a leading 10-man group at halfway and then race away from the survivors.
It was always going to be an emotional race with the return of Gareth Turnbull after winning a long battle to clear his name following a positive drugs test that was eventually found to be void.
“I got so much goodwill and so much warmth from the people here today it was just unbelievable,” the Belfast man said. “It was great to come here and discover I had so many friends and that there are so many really nice people out there.
He said his battle with the Irish Sports Council was not over.
“They have washed my linen in public and now the least those people can do is explain themselves.”
Nine times champion Seamus Power (Clare), who set the pace that split the field, finished seventh after nursing a torn hamstring through the race.
“I injured it in training on Thursday night,” he said. “By halfway I was going nowhere, the pain was bad and it was a struggle.”
Surrounded by Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers), Turnbull, defending champion Gary Murray (Donegal), David Kelly (Sligo), Joe McAllister (Antrim), Christie controlled affairs and timed his move to perfection.
“The early pace suited me,” he said. “I had come off a bad race in Ghent and I just wanted to get to halfway as comfortably as possible and then have a go.”
Behind him Murray overtook Kelly and then Turnbull came from behind to claim the silver medal for a second time.
Turnbull immediately announced he will not be going to the European championships in two weeks time. Alistair Cragg informed the selectors on Saturday that he will also be unavailable either.
With five of the top 11 finishers eligible for the U23 team, the selectors have a difficult task naming their teams today.
Following on Christie’s success, Enda Fitzpatrick’s DCU programme also produced the winners of the senior women’s and junior men’s races. Fionnuala Britton (Wicklow) was a runaway winner of the women’s title as she transferred her junior form to senior level.
She hung on to three time winner, Rosemary Ryan (Limerick) early on with her DCU colleague Aoife Byrne (DSD), Orla O’Mahony (Clare), Linda Byrne (Dublin), Orla Drumm (Cork) and Niamh O’Sullivan (Kerry) completing the lead group.
Britton and Rosemary Ryan ended in a head to head before the 22-year-old Wicklow woman raced clear on the final lap to win by 45 seconds.
Cathal Dennehy (Limerick) won an enthralling contest with the talented Dubliner, Brendan O’Neill, for the junior men’s title.
Dennehy, a second year student at DCU, said he owed everything to his Limerick coach, Bill Logan, and revealed his participation had been in doubt earlier in the week when he took ill.
Roseanne Galligan (Kildare) also had a scare earlier in the week. A student at University of Tennessee in Knoxville, she was forced to pull out of the NCAA championships with an ankle injury.
“It is still quite sore,” she admitted after a thrilling contest with national junior champion, Sara Louise Treacy (Meath). “I will not decide if I will go to the European championships until I discuss it with my coach.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
