Pollock has potential and confidence to make impact at European Cross Country

Such is the intense spotlight on Fionnuala Britton’s quest to win a third successive European Cross Country title this Sunday that it’s hard to imagine her being upstaged.

But she’s not the only athlete among the 30-strong Irish team heading to Belgrade with medal ambitions, and especially if Paul Pollock lives up to his own billing.

Indeed while Britton has done her best to maintain as low a profile as possible before Sunday’s race – although she will sit in on the official event press conference in Belgrade tomorrow afternoon – Pollock is happy to talk up his ambitions, and not unjustifiably so.

"The one thing that really impresses me is his confidence," says Chris Jones, national endurance coach with Athletics Ireland. "Not in an arrogant way. But an intelligent way. I said it to the other lads, before the National Inter-counties last month, that Paul will come in and rip their legs off."

Confident
As it turned out Pollock did exactly that, fairly destroying one of the strongest Inter-counties fields of recent years, coming home 34 seconds clear of second-placed Michael Mulhare: "It's a hard race to win, obviously, but I think I'm in shape to win it," Pollock said afterwards, about his prospects in Belgrade. "It really depends on the conditions as well, how the race pans out. You need to have a bit of luck on your side as well. But I see no reason why I can't come first on a good day with good conditions and if I'm feeling good."

Now 27, and since taking a leave of absence from his doctor duties at Belfast Royal Hospital this summer, Pollock has been based in Teddington, in London, working with UK distance coach Andy Hobdell.

Jones is cautious about his actual medal prospects, but has no doubt Pollock will be up for the challenge: "He's certainly got the potential to be a top-eight athlete, if the opportunity opens up for him. But it's a tough race to medal in, no doubt about that."

Influences the chances
Individual medal or not, Pollock's position might well influence the chances of the senior men's team getting onto the podium, for only the second time ever: it's 13 years since the men's team led home by Peter Mathews and Séamus Power secured bronze medals, but there is the chance to repeat that performance if all four scorers can maximise their potential – likely to be Pollock, Mulhare and his older brother Dan, and David McCarthy.

McCarthy, now 25, was part of the Irish men’s under-23 team that won gold medals in Portugal in 2010, finishing in 11th place: he’s matured considerably since then, and although disappointed with his run at the Inter-counties, where he finished seventh, is gunning for another big team performance this Sunday.

"I know I'm in good shape," says McCarthy, "and I'm going in there looking to give my best performance, and also from a team aspect. I want to run smart, come through to the field, and hopefully contribute to a score that will be good enough to get this team on the podium."

Robinson role
Paul Robinson – fresh from a stint of "spring" training in Australia – will likely lead the Irish challenge in the men's under-23 race, although the 8km distance might prove a little long: both junior teams will need to produce something special to medal, although there is no Irish interest at all in the women's under-23 race – a strange decision considering Athletics Ireland still found room to accommodate 13 travelling officials and coaches.

Finally, the chances of the senior women’s team repeating their gold medal performance from Budapest last year appear slim, at best: Britton and Sara Treacy are the only two survivors of that team, with Sarah McCormack the latest withdrawal through injury, to be replaced by Sarah Mulligan: “They’re rebuilding a little now,” says Jones. “But these athletes are hungry, and it’s about steeping up to the plate.”