Nick Griggs Targets Irish Title After Parkrun ‘World Best’

Following his widely reported Parkrun ‘world best’ in Belfast last weekend, Nick Griggs expressed confidence in securing his inaugural Irish senior title at this weekend’s national cross country championships in county Fermanagh. The event will take place at an Irvinestown venue familiar to him from his school days. The competition on the Castle Irvine course, which Griggs anticipates knowing well from his school years, will serve as the national qualifying event for the European Cross Country Championships scheduled for 8 December in Antalya. The county Tyrone athlete, who will celebrate his 20th birthday next month, recounted his past experiences at the venue: “My district schools championships were in Irvinestown a few times. I think I came second in second year and then won it in third year and fourth year. Hopefully it’s the same course so I know it well. I know the area well. It’s almost home advantage for me. I’m not from Fermanagh but they can claim me as one of their own!” Griggs’ impressive Parkrun performance, which came after he secured second place behind Kenya’s Vincent Mutai at the Bobby Rea International Cross Country event in Belfast last month, indicates that his enrollment in sports science at Ulster University in September has not hindered his athletic form. The Ireland runner, who first gained prominence in the summer of 2021 by winning the European Under-20 3,000m