Opportunity lost: What happened to Ireland’s European U23 cross country champions?

In December 2010, six young Irish distance runners claimed U23 gold at the European Cross Country Championships, but despite their relative youth, most of them have now retired from the sport. What lessons can be learned from how their careers played out? Cathal Dennehy tracked them down to find out.

At first he thought it was a joke, and Brendan O’Neill didn’t find it very funny.

It was December 2010 in Albufeira, Portugal, and the Dubliner had just crossed the line to finish 13th in the U23 race at the European Cross Country Championships when he was approached by his teammate David Rooney.