Potential clear but no medals

ATHLETICS/European Cross Country:Even if the medal hopes never materialised there was still a strong Irish showing at yesterday's European Cross Country championships in Toro, Spain.

Top-10 finishes in five of the six races - including a seventh place for Fionnuala Britton and Martin Fagan at senior - underlined the range of emerging talent and the potential for success.

The fast course did, however, take its toll, and some of the Irish struggled. All six teams fell short of expectations, particularly the under-23 men, and a class apart from everyone were the senior winners: Marta Dominguez of Spain and the seven-time champion Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine.

But to reach high you need to aim high, and while some efforts backfired, there's no doubt Ireland's best can mix it with Europe's best, and ideally the medals will materialise when these championships arrive in Dublin in two years' time.

After her silver medal in last year's under-23 division, Britton went into the senior race somewhat unclear as to her chances, but made the most of them. The Wicklow woman put herself in the leading bunch from the start of the 8km race, settling into sixth. It was only nearing the bell that four pulled away, led by Hungary's Aniko Kalovics.

Britton finished 22 seconds behind Dominguez, who produced a massive sprint to earn Spain their first senior women's title - 14 years after Catherina McKiernan denied Julia Vaquero in the inaugural championships.

"I just wish I could have held on a little longer," said Britton. "You always think afterwards that you could have tried a little harder, but of course I was trying as hard as I could out there. It was tough in the end.

"After last year, I knew it was going to be hard, a step-up in standard. But you have to go in there believing you can win a medal, and that you have a right to be there. That's what I did. Hopefully, over the next few years that will still happen."

Next best of the Irish women was Deirdre Byrne in 18th, but Pauline Curley and Jolene Byrne brought up the rear of the field.

The senior men's race proved hugely tactical, a dozen runners playing around for five of the seven laps and Fagan sitting comfortably in front. But when Lebid put his foot to the pedal approaching the bell Fagan dropped to 10th before bravely picking up three places to finish 19 seconds behind Lebid.

Gary Murray finished 26th and Joe McAllister 30th.

"I am right in the middle of marathon training," explained the 25-year-old Fagan, now based in Arizona ahead of next month's Houston marathon. "Even this week I ran 100 miles in training. So I am happy enough with that run. I just didn't have the pace right now to go with them when they pressed the button, but I did feel strong the whole way, and my coach reckons I'm in 2:10 shape for the marathon."

The best Irish result of the day came a little earlier in the women's under-23 race, where Dublin's Linda Byrne ran very determinedly to finish sixth, just 29 seconds down on Romania's impressive winner, Ancuta Bobovel.

Fourth in the junior race two years, and still under 23 again next year, Byrne - like Britton and Fagan - was in the mix for a medal for much of the way and was happy with her final placing.

The most disappointing Irish result was that of the under-23 men's team, which had high hopes after finishing fourth last year but ended up seventh here.

The two junior races were highlighted by David McCarthy in ninth and Charlotte ffrench-O'Carroll in 14th - both mixing it well with Europe's best.