Double delight as Kilkenny City Harriers win two European bronze medals

Kilkenny athletics can celebrate two more international medals as Ireland picked up a number of prizes at the European Cross-Country Championships.

Five members of the Kilkenny City Harriers - Peter Lynch, Aoibhe Richardson, Shay McEvoy, Hannah Kehoe and coach Niamh Richardson - were part of the national team in action at the championships at La Mandria Park in Italy.

Aoibhe Richardson picked up her second European medal when the Irish senior women’s team finished third in their event. Richardson, who won team silver in Lisbon in 2019, was 46th in a time of 29:13 as Ireland claimed the bronze. The team was led home by sisters Eilish and Roisin Flanagan, who finished 11th and 12th respectively.

There was no such luck for the Irish men’s team as they finished eighth overall. Peter Lynch was the first Irishman home, crossing the line 15th in a time of 30:23. The senior race was won by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who defended the title he won in Dublin last year.

The Harriers picked up their second medal when the Irish men’s Under-23 team also won bronze. McEvoy delivered a storming run, finishing in 15th place in a time of 24:22, to help Ireland on to the podium.

Fellow Harrier Hannah Kehoe ran in the women's under-20 race and was 72nd in a time of 14:58.

Overall Ireland won three team medals - two bronze as well as a silver in the men’s under-20 race, where Nicholas Griggs and Dean Casey won individual silver and bronze respectively.