Entries Open for Antrim International Cross Country
08 November 2017
Rio Olympic Steeplechase Champion Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya first over the line at the 2017 Antrim International Cross Country.
Entries are now open for the Antrim International Cross Country at Greenmount on 6th January 2018.
This is the 41st Edition of the competition which has been held at various venues across Northern Ireland since it began at Mallusk in 1977. The event is in its 9th year at Greenmount.
The meeting is one of the highlights of the World Cross Country calendar, forming part of the IAAF’s World Cross Country series.
Supported by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the event has 1 of only 10 IAAF permits, so can rightly claim to be one of the top cross country races in the world each year.
The meet attracts top quality, world class cross country runners to compete with World and Olympic Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Champion, Conselus Kipruto, taking first place in the 2017 event.
Previous participants in the long history of this event have included former Steve Ovett, Steve Cram, Brendan Foster, Paula Radcliffe, John Treacy and Paul Tergat.
There will be two main races on the day - Senior Men and Women, and the names of participants will be announced in due course.
As well as being part of the World Cross Country circuit, the meet is part of the UK Athletics Cross Challenge series and this year will also incorporate the Celtic Cross Country International with teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland and NI/Ulster all competing.
There will also be a full programme of supporting races from primary schools age upwards for both boys and girls.
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Paul Hamill commented, “I am delighted that the Antrim International Cross Country is returning to our Borough for another year. This is a fantastic event and showcases the high standard of competitors within the Cross Country sport.”
Athletics NI General Secretary, John Allen, said: ‘’We at Athletics NI are proud and excited to be hosting the IAAF Antrim International again in 2018. The event has a long and prestigious history, and we fully expect to see a world class field again this year’’.