Britton Sets Budapest Record

Getty Images

Fionnuala Britton became the first athlete to successfully defend the women's senior title at the European Cross Country Championship as she triumphed in Budapest on Sunday.

Britton produced a classy run to win by two seconds from Portugal's Ana Dulce Felix.

The County Wicklow woman's win also helped the Irish senior women clinch a surprise gold medal in the team event.

Britton won her first title in Slovenia 12 months ago.

The Irish runner clocked 27 minutes and 45 conditions in freezing conditions in Budapest on a snow-filled course.

Felix was two seconds back in the silver medal position with the Netherlands' Adrienne Herzog a further second adrift in third.

In the women's team competition, Ireland finished level on 52 points with France but the Irish took the gold medal on countback.

The Irish other finishers were Linda Byrne in eighth, Ava Hutchinson 20th, Lizzie Lee 23rd plus the non-scoring Sarah McCormack in 36th and Sara Treacy in 42nd.

Joe Sweeney's hopes of a high finish in the senior men's race were dashed as he finished in 27th - one minute and four seconds behind winner Italy's Andrea Lalli.

Top Irishman was Brendan O'Neill in 22nd with David Rooney 38th, Michael Mulhare 44th, Sean Hehir 52nd and Brian Maher 73rd.

In the junior men's race, Armagh's Stephen Kerr was the top Irish finisher in 37th - 55 seconds behind Polish winner Szymon Kulka - while Newcastle runner Eoghan Totten was a further 17 seconds back in 61st with Killian Mooney 89th and Ian Guiden 107th.

John Travers was top Irishman in the Under-23 event in 44th with Patrick Hogan 52nd, Dave Fitzmaurice 76th, Samuel Mealy 80th and Letterkenny man Christopher Johnston 86th.

In the women's Under-23 race, Laura Behan was 54th while Fionnuala Britton's sister Una was 58th.

Related articles

• Jess Coulson sings her way to victory at European Cross-Country event
• Jess Coulson sings her way to victory at European Cross-Country event
• Cheserek defends national prep cross country title
• UBC wins NAIA women's cross country title, men finish sixth
• Injured McKillop to Miss Cross Country
• Cheserek defends national prep cross country title

Fionnuala Britton Wins Again

Ireland's European cross country champion Fionnuala Britton won the women's 6km race in 21.32 ahead of Britain's Gemma Steel and Elle Baker.at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country race.

"It is nice to feel strong and run like that," Britton told BBC Sport.

Kenya's world and Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop eased to a comfortable victory in the men's 3km event at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country race.

He clocked nine minutes, 20 seconds to beat Britain's Jonny Hay (9.25), with Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele well down.

Kiprop beat fellow Kenyan Brimin Kipruto, who won Olympic gold in the 3,000m steeplechase, and Ethiopian legend Bekele, who both finished well down the field.

Bekele, who won gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m in Beijing in 2008, is regarded as the biggest rival to Britain's Mo Farah at the 2012 London Olympics but he struggled with the pace.

Kiprop, 22, said: "I expected a very tough competition from them.

"I am excited having won here today after being second last year."

Britton beat a quality field at Holyrood Park to win by an impressive 20 seconds.

The 27-year-old said: "It is a big event and I knew I was the person everyone would try to chase down so I knew I had to have a good race.

"Now I will look towards the track and the Olympics and look to get times in the 5km or 10km.

"I've been told I need to move up in distance so I will go get it now."

In the men's 8km race, Spain's Ayad Lamdassem won in a time of 25.44 from American Bobby Mack, who just edged out Belgium's Atelaw Bekele.

In the team standings, Great Britain and Northern Ireland finished ahead of the United States and a European Select team.