Cragg gets nod to race for Ireland in Santry
The selectors left a vacancy in the senior men’s team pending the Thanksgiving Day 5k Roar Race in San Jose on Thursday and, after Cragg romped home in fifth position in a smart time of 13:45, it was decided to include him in the side to exclusion of Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock AC) who is now named as first reserve.
“We are taking a chance going on his record,” Patsy McGonagle, Chair of High Performance, said. “But the bare facts indicate we cannot leave an athlete of his calibre out of the team. OK, he has disappointed us in the past, but he is a very talented athlete, one we feel can make an impact on the race and make an impression for the team. It is a chance we have to take.”
Cragg, who ran for South Africa in the junior men’s race at the world cross-country championships in Belfast, made his debut in an Irish singlet in the European championships when he finished eighth and subsequently raced with distinction across Europe.
His achievements include the European indoor 3,000m title which he won in Madrid on the same day David Gillick won the first of his two indoor 400m titles.
Cragg was runner-up to Cathal Lombard (Leevale) when he returned to Belfast for the national inter-club championships but subsequently pulled a hamstring in the world championships in Edinburgh and that was his last cross-country race.
Like Patsy McGonaghle, Irish team manager, Anne Keenan-Buckley, thinks Cragg has the ability to do well next month. “Alistair Cragg is an excellent athlete who has outstanding ability and his performance yesterday showed that and it’s why he will be lining out in Santry,” she said. “I know that he is very excited about racing at the European Cross next month and very hopeful of what he can do there. He is feeling strong and confident and now we hope he will continue to build on that over the next two weeks ahead of the event.”
There was also a boost to Irish hopes for a medal in the women’s senior race when defending champion Hilda Kibet confirmed she will not be competing in the event this year.
With the Dutch athlete pulling out this will give Mary Cullen one less world class athlete to worry about.
Revised Men’s Senior Team: A Ledwith (Fr. Murphy’s AC); S Connolly (Tallaght AC); M Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers AC); M Fagan (Mullingar Harriers AC); M Christie (Mullingar Harriers AC); A Cragg (Clonliffe Harriers AC).
1st Reserve: M Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock’s AC); 2nd Reserve D Kelly (North Sligo AC).
