European Cross Country Championships to be Broadcast Live on BBC

Abbie Donnelly has been appointed captain of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for this year’s championships. The European Cross Country Championships are scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey, a south-west coastal city, on Sunday, 8 December, and will be aired live on BBC Sport. This event marks its 30th anniversary. BBC Sport’s coverage will feature all seven races, encompassing men’s and women’s competitions in the senior, under-23, and under-20 age categories, alongside the mixed relay. Athletes will navigate courses involving mud and sand as they compete for titles. Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Last year in Belgium, Great Britain and Northern Ireland led the medal standings, securing 11 medals, including seven gold. The team has also demonstrated strong performance in the mixed relay event, having won it three times since its debut in 2017. Kate Axford is set to represent Great Britain for the first time in Turkey. Her place in the British team was confirmed by a victory at the Liverpool Cross Challenge in November, concluding a successful year for the former hockey player. Will Barnicoat aims to defend his men’s U23 title, which he claimed last year in Belgium with a late surge to overcome French rival Valentin Bresc. The Briton, who won the U20 race in 2022, also hopes to contribute to securing another gold in the U23 men’s team competition. Team standings are determined by the cumulative finishing positions of a team’s four athletes in the race. Innes FitzGerald intends to defend her U20 title, following a dominant performance last time out where she maintained her early lead. She will also seek to help defend the U20 women’s team gold. Innes FitzGerald secured both individual and team U20 gold medals last year. European rivals: Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal will attempt to achieve a record-equalling fourth consecutive title in the women’s senior race, while France’s Yann Schrub aims to retain his men’s title. Schrub is expected to face a strong challenge from Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who seeks to conclude his year by reclaiming the title. The 5,000m Olympic gold medallist won the event in 2021 and 2022 but missed last year’s competition due to injury. Denmark’s Axel Vang Christensen will compete in the U23 men’s race, having been crowned U20 European champion last year in Denmark. Yann Schrub earned his inaugural European Championship individual race medal last year. All the action will be broadcast live across Red Button, iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app. Coverage is scheduled to begin at 07:55 GMT on Sunday, 8 December.