On Sunday, December 8, 2024, Antalya, Turkey, will host the European Cross-Country Championships, a major event bringing together the continent’s best runners. The British team, boasting an impressive track record in this competition, aims for new successes with a selection combining experience and young talents. With titles to defend and collective ambitions, here’s a look at the squad and the stakes for this edition.
A strong British team will travel to Antalya, Turkey, on Sunday, December 8, 2024, for the European Cross-Country Championships. The selected athletes, with a remarkable history in this end-of-year competition, will seek to extend their nation’s tradition of success.
The winners of the selection trials, Kate Axford (Andy Henderson, Belgrave) and Tomer Tarragano (Dean Miller, Brighton & Hove), will lead the senior women’s and men’s teams, respectively. Among the standout names are also the reigning European champions, Innes FitzGerald (Gavin Pavey, Exeter) in the U20 women’s category and Will Barnicoat (Tim Eglen, Aldershot Farnham & District) in the U23 men’s category, both looking to defend their individual titles and contribute to potential team victories.
A Strong Squad
Kate Axford will lead a well-rounded senior women’s team, including Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington), last year’s European bronze medalist. Their main goal will be to retain the team gold medal won in Brussels in 2023.
For the senior men, Tomer Tarragano, who delivered an outstanding performance on the muddy selection course in Merseyside, will be supported by Hugo Milner (4th at the 2023 European Championships) and Zakariya Mahamed, a former U23 individual medalist.
In the younger categories, Innes FitzGerald and Will Barnicoat are the delegation’s top hopes. Both claimed individual and team gold last year and will be aiming for another podium finish.
Team leader Sarah Benson emphasized the significance of this event:
“The trials in Liverpool demonstrated the depth and talent of British cross-country running. We have a team made up of experienced athletes and newcomers who will experience international competition for the first time. These championships are a crucial step in the development of endurance athletes in the UK, and I look forward to seeing each athlete achieve their goals.”
British Team for the 2024 European Cross-Country Championships
Senior Women
- Kate Axford (Andy Henderson, Belgrave)
- Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington)
- Izzy Fry (Sonia McGeorge, Newbury)
- Jess Gibbon (Reading)
- Cari Hughes (Andrew Walling, Cardiff)
- Poppy Tank (Luke Gunn, City of Plymouth)
Senior Men
- Scott Beattie (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth)
- Ellis Cross (Andrew Hobdell, Aldershot Farnham & District)
- Rory Leonard (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth)
- Zak Mahamed (Idris Hamud, Southampton)
- Hugo Milner (Derby)
- Tomer Tarragano (Dean Miller, Brighton & Hove)
Senior Mixed Relay
- Tyler Bilyard (Jethro McGraw, Great Yarmouth)
- Maddie Deadman (Rod Finch, Basingstoke and Mid Hants)
- Joshua Lay (Matt Yates, Rugby and Northampton)
- Elise Thorner (Helen Clitheroe, Wells City)
U23 Women
- Phoebe Anderson (Wayne Vinton, Herne Hill)
- Poppy Craig-McFeely (Philip O’Dell, Herne Hill)
- Meg Gadsby (Mick Woods, City of Norwich)
- Mia Waldmann (Mark Booth, Reading)
- Kate Willis (Dean Miller, City of Norwich)
- Tia Wilson (Bill Foster, Bedford & County)
U23 Men
- Will Barnicoat (Tim Eglen, Aldershot, Farnham & District)
- Dafydd Jones (James Thie, Swansea)
- James Kingston (Mark Hookway, Tonbridge)
- David Stone (Dean Miller, Shaftesbury Barnet)
- Peter Molloy (Scottish Schs)
- Brett Rushman (Andrew Hobdell, Herts Phoenix)
U20 Women
- Jessica Bailey (Dean Miller, Leven Valley)
- Innes Fitzgerald (Gavin Pavey, Exeter)
- Zoe Gilbody (Sarah Benson, Telford)
- Isobelle Jones (Wolverhampton and Bilston)
- Eleanor Strevens (Christopher Voice, Eastbourne)
- Lizzie Wellsted (Andy Henderson, Colchester)
U20 Men
- Oliver Conway (Radley)
- George Couttie (Ben Thomas, Harrogate)
- Henry Dover (David Sm, Shaftesbury Barnet)
- Quinn Miell-Ingram (Wendy Miell-Ingram, Radley)
- William Rabjohns (Mark Pauley, Poole)
- Miles Waterworth (Bruce Warren, Brighton Phoenix)
