Nick Griggs secured a silver medal at the 2024 Under-23 SPAR European Cross Country Championships, finishing in second place after a thrilling battle in the final stages of the race in Dokuma Park, Antalya, Turkey.
The County Tyrone middle-distance runner remained in contention throughout the race, positioning himself well for the medal hunt. As the race neared its conclusion, Griggs found himself in a fierce contest with defending champion Will Barnicoat and fellow British runner David Stone.
With just 300 meters to go, Griggs appeared to struggle momentarily as the British duo pushed ahead, but he quickly regained his strength. The two-time Under-20 medallist surged forward, passing Stone in the final stretch. However, Barnicoat proved too strong, securing his second consecutive gold, while Griggs finished just one second behind to claim a well-earned silver.
Reflecting on his performance, Griggs said, “Everyone wants to go out and win gold. I’m the nearly-man at these championships with two silvers and one bronze individually in the last three years, but I’m happy and I think it’s something I’ll appreciate as I get older.” He continued, “I love these championships and it’s a special one for me. I always like to step up and perform at my best when I have the Irish vest on. The best man won today, but one of these years I will win at these championships.”
Griggs, who narrowly missed out on this year’s Under-20 category by just two weeks, will have two more years to compete in the Under-23 grade. His silver medal adds to Ireland’s impressive streak of medal finishes at the European Cross Country Championships, marking the fifth consecutive year the country has won a medal since Lisbon in 2019.
In the senior races, Niamh Allen made a remarkable debut, finishing 11th in the women’s race just three months after giving birth to her daughter Lily. Allen led the senior women’s team to a 10th-place finish overall, with Cheryl Nolan finishing 57th and national champion Ann-Marie McGlynn in 62nd. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti claimed the gold in the women’s event.
In the men’s senior race, Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen secured his third European Cross Country gold, while Ireland’s Cormac Dalton finished 21st.