Fagan to face Farah at European cross-country tests in Santry Demesne

IRELAND’S Martin Fagan will go head-to-head with Great Britain’s Mo Farah in the SPAR European cross-country championships at the Santry Demesne on December 13.

When Farah won the European title in Italy in 2006, Fagan was a spectator after he and a number of other Irish athletes went down with food poisoning.

Farah went on to win a silver medal at the European track and field championships in Gothenburg two years later but another cross-country title has eluded him. Following his big win in the Great South Run 10 mile road race in Portsmouth at the weekend, he identified the European cross in Dublin as his next big race.

Farah won the Portsmouth showpiece in 45 mins 25 secs to indicate he will be the one to beat in Santry where he will challenge defending champion Sergiy Lebid, who has dominated this race since its inception. Last year in Belgium Lebid beat Farah to win the title for the eighth time. Fagan was one of medal favourites then following his fourth placing the previous year but his hopes were dashed when he fell while in a challenging position.

This time, however, Farah is leaving nothing to chance. “My aim is to go to Kenya with my mates and train with the Kenyan boys at 8,000 feet and get ready for Dublin. That’s the next big step when I compete in Ireland and until then it’s a case of staying injury free and focused,” he said.

Farah will be part of a strong Great Britain team with the final squad to be confirmed after the UK Athletics (UKA) trials in Liverpool on November 28 and Head of Endurance with UKA, Ian Stewart MBE, believes the Irish conditions will suit the Great Britain team.

“The Santry Park course is a typical British Cross Country Course but it is all weather dependent,” he said. “With rain it will be tough but our team will be used to those conditions.’’

The SPAR European Championships will take place in Ireland for the first time with the support of the Irish Sports Council (ISC) , Fáilte Ireland, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, RTÉ, Fáilte Ireland and Clonliffe Harriers.