Cragg shows sparkling form in US

Alistair Cragg’s bid for a medal at next month's European Cross-Country Championships looks well on track after a strong finish in his first ever road race in Connecticut today.

Cragg, who returned to training in June after a stress fracture in his lower back, finished second in the 4.7-mile Manchester Thanksgiving Day Road Race, clocking 21 minutes and 56 seconds. Race winner Nick Willis of New Zealand was six seconds faster in the cold and snowy conditions.

It was a bold run by the 25-year-old Cragg, who will be bidding for a medal at the Euro Championships in Tilburg, Holland on December 4.

Meanwhile in the women’s event in Manchester, Tilburg-bound Sligo woman Mary Cullen of Providence College also claimed second spot (25:00).

2004 champion Kim Smith made it a New Zealand clean sweep in first (24:23).

69th Annual Manchester Thanksgiving Day Road Race -

Men’s: (1) Nick Willis (New Zealand) 21 minutes 50 secs, (2) Alistair Cragg (Ireland) 21:56, (3) Vyacheslav Shabunin (Russia) 22:07, (4) Andrew Letherby (Australia) 22:10, (5) Reid Coolaset (Canada) 22:14.

Women’s: (1) Kim Smith (New Zealand) 24:23, (2) Mary Cullen (Ireland) 25:00, (3) Tetyana Hladyr (Russia) 25:30, (4) Amy Mortimer (Boston) 25:38, (5) Catherine Berry (England) 25:38.