Ireland to host European cross country in 2020

Athletics Ireland has won the bid to host the European Cross Country Championships in 2020, the second time the event will be staged in Ireland.

Members of the Irish committee presented the bid to the European Athletics Council in Budapest earlier today, with agreement reached that the championships will take place at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown in west Dublin on Sunday, December 13th, 2020.

The Athletics Ireland bid was supported by Fingal County Council, Sport Ireland and RTE; Athletics Ireland previously hosted a successful European Cross Championships in Santry Demesne in 2009.

"We are delighted to have secured the hosting of the European Cross Country Championships for 2020," said Hamish Adams, chief executive of Athletics Ireland. "We look forward to working with Fingal County Council, Sport Ireland and RTE to ensure the event is a world class experience for both athletes and spectators."

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Ireland has a successful record in these championships, Fionnuala McCormack being a former two-time winner of the women’s title, with Catherina McKiernan winning the inaugural championships in Durham in 1994.

Mary Godwin, senior executive officer of Fingal County Council, added "We look forward to working closely with Athletics Ireland and the other partners to ensure we host the best European Cross Country Championships to date."