FOUR Irish athletes have landed in the US today ready to take part in this weekend’s World Cross Country Championships.
The event, which gets underway this Saturday, January 10, marks the 46th edition of the annual competition.
It is being held in Tallahassee, Florida, making its return to the US for the first time since 1992.
Irish athlete Brain Fay headlines the team for the World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe competition will take place at the Apalachee Regional Park, where the course is set to feature sand, water, mud, and a signature ‘rollercoaster’ element.
The Irish team is headlined by Brian Fay, of Raheny Shamrock Athletics Club, and Fiona Everard, of Bandon Athletics Club, who both finished tenth individually in the senior races at last December’s European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal.
Fay, who is an Olympian over 5000m, won the Irish National Cross Country Championships held in Derry last November, before being a scoring member of the Irish team who won a historic silver medal in Lagoa.
Fiona Everard pictured during the senior women’s race at the 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, PortugalThis weekend’s race will mark his debut appearance at the World Cross Country Championships.
Everard returns to this stage having finished 60th in the senior women’s race at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade.
The Cork woman had what has been described as “the run of her life” in Lagoa last month.
The athlete managed to make it into the top ten at the European Cross Country Championships, which followed her victory at the 123.ie National Senior Cross Country Championships last November.
Niamh Allen pictured at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, PortugalThe two other athletes on the team Niamh Allen and Noah Harris will be making their debut appearances at this weekend’s competition
Allen, of Leevale Athletics Club, joins Everard in the senior women’s race.
Allen was 10th at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Türkiye and finished 23rd in Lagoa.
Fresh from a 10th place finish in the U20 Men’s race in Lagoa, Noah
Noah Harris pictured during the U20 men’s race at the 2025 European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, PortugalHarris, of Parnell AC, completes the team.
The 18-year-old, who hails from Wicklow, is currently studying at the University of Tennessee.