Presence, not podiums, the measure for Ireland at World Cross Country Championships

Three members of the Irish senior men’s team that won silver at last month’s Europeans – Jack O’Leary, Cormac Dalton and Efrem Gidey – have prioritised a 10km on the streets of Valencia tomorrow where they will chase the qualifying standard (27:50) for the European Championships in August – the key focus for Irish athletes this year.

WORLD CROSS COUNTRY: Brian Fay is the sole Irish entrant in the senior men’s race, with Fiona Everard and Niamh Allen in the senior women’s and Noah Harris in the U20 men’s. Athletics Ireland gave many more the option to go. Picture:  ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

At an event like the World Cross Country Championships, success or failure for the Irish must be judged in far more nuanced terms than medals or top-10 finishes – which in recent times have been awfully hard to come by for European nations. Such is the ruthless, cutthroat standard at the event, a single top-30 finish would be a great return from any of the four Irish athletes who toe the line in Tallahassee, Florida today.

Brian Fay is the sole Irish entrant in the senior men’s race, with Fiona Everard and Niamh Allen in the senior women’s and Noah Harris in the U20 men’s. Athletics Ireland gave many more the option to go but for various reasons, those invites weren’t accepted. And so Ireland is unlikely to make much of an impact in Tallahassee. But it will have a presence – and that’s important.