European Athletics (EAA) – News – Great Britain and NI looking for an encore in Budapest

A year ago in Velenje, Slovenia, one team dominated the SPAR European Cross County Championships and as the event prepares for the 2012 staging, Great Britain and Northern Ireland are ready to match their exploits again.

Twelve months on from their dominating performance, the British team named today is looking for another outstanding day of competition in Budapest on Sunday week.

In Velenje, Britain topped the medal table with 12: six gold, five silver and a bronze.

It meant they won half the gold medals available with Emelia Gorecka winning the junior women's title and five teams combining for gold – the senior women, and men and women's under-23s and juniors.

The announcement this morning of a 36-strong British squad includes Gorecka who is determined to defend her title as she establishes herself among the most versatile young athletes in the world.

Gorecka, 18, a member of the Aldershot Farnham and District Athletics in the county of Hampshire, followed up her success in Velenje by winning bronze in the 3000m at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona in July.

Budapest will be third European Cross Country Championships and she has quite a record: two golds from last year and individual bronze and team gold from Albufeira in 2010.

She has been impressing for a number of years, though, having topped the domestic 1500m under-15 rankings when she was 14.
Gorecka is relishing the chance of glory in Hungary and said: "Budapest has always been the aim for this part of my season. Every other race has been a stepping stone, so I cannot wait to freshen up and go out and compete. The team is looking very strong, which is very exciting."

Britain's junior women are likely to be the favourites again with a strong squad after the official trials in Liverpool last Saturday.

It was there that Gorecka had to dig deep as the finishing line approached in a fantastic race with Jenny Walsh.

Both athletes were given the same time – 15:17 – with Gorecka just getting the nod. They are joined in the Budapest line-up by Jessica Judd, who was third in Liverpool in 15:27 and last summer won bronze over 800m at those World Junior Championships.

The two trials winners of the senior races will be looking to make their mark.

Jonathan Taylor, 25, produced one of the best performances of his career to triumph in Liverpool in 29:55 while Jess Coulson, 22, won the senior race in 27:41 and will run in the under-23 event in Budapest.

Great Britain and NI Team:
Senior Men: Tom Farrell, Keith Gerrard, Tom Humphries, Jonathan Taylor, Andy Vernon, Steve Vernon.

Senior Women: Elle Baker, Louise Damen, Caryl Jones, Rosie Smith, Emily Wicks, Katrina Wootton.

Under-23 Men: Nick Goolab, Dewi Griffiths, Jonny Hay, Simon Horsfield, Scott McDonald, James Wilkinson.

Under-23 Women: Hannah Alderson, Jess Coulson, Lauren Howarth, Lily Partridge, Beth Potter, Hannah Walker.

Junior Men: Ian Bailey, Kieran Clements, Charlie Grice, Charlie Hulson, William Paulson, Luke Traynor.

Junior Women: Rhona Auckland, Alex Clay, Emelia Gorecka, Jessica Judd, Annabel Mason, Jenny Walsh.

 

 European Athletics (EAA) – News