ATHLETICS: Ian O'Riordan talks to a former international athlete who feels it is time to give something back to the sport

It's not always easy for a sport to get their high achievers to give something back after retirement, and the Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI) know they're lucky to have secured the services of one their most experienced athletes - Anne Keenan Buckley. Three years after calling time on her remarkable career, Keenan Buckley has recently taken on the role of cross country event manager - one of several new positions developed after the AAI restructuring earlier this year.

It would have been hard to find an athlete with more experience in cross country. It was Keenan Buckley's enduring commitment to the sport that made her stand out with 13 appearances in the World Cross Country and three national senior titles secured over several decades. After taking seven silver medals in the national cross country she finally struck gold in 2000 at age 38. Beaten into second the following year, she regained the title in 2002 and retained it in 2003.

Later in 2003 - three weeks short of her 42nd birthday - she retired after helping the Irish women's team to silver medals at the European cross country in Edinburgh. She admits it wasn't always a priority to get involved at management level, but when the chance arose she was happy to go with it.

"I suppose it is important that an athlete with all the experience I have puts something back," she says, "and gets involved at some coaching level.

"It wasn't something I planned, but since I retired three years ago I have been doing a lot of work with Portlaoise, and then with the big shake-up there in the association I felt it was a good time to get involved. I'm looking forward to the next few years to see what can be achieved."

Keenan Buckley has already decided where the priority for Irish cross country runners should lie: the World Cross Country has effectively been taken over by the all-conquering Africans, although it's still a far more level playing field at European level.

"Realistically," she says, "the World Cross country is now so African-dominated that it's very difficult for European athletes to make an impact. That's not saying they still can't make it at that level, but the European cross country is definitely an event where we can be successful, and that's why it has really become the main target for our athletes.

"This year they're introducing an under-23 race for the first time, which is another great opportunity to make an impression, especially since our junior men did so well two years ago."

That means the European cross country championships, set for December 10th at the north Italian town of San Giorgio su Legnano, effectively becomes the peak of the new season.

The build-up has already begun with the first national squad session on September 30th, and along with the AAI, Keenan Buckley has lined up three races to fine-tune the Irish preparations - the Birmingham Grand Cross challenge on October 28th, the Ghent international in Belgium on November 5th, and the Tilburg event in the Netherlands on November 12th.

"It was important that we offered them some high quality international competition," she added, "and these races should serve them well.

"But the final trial for the Europeans will be the Intercounties in Dungarvan on November 26th, and it's only then that we'll really know what athletes we'll have available."

Two athletes she clearly hopes will be available are Alistair Cragg and Sonia O'Sullivan - who have both expressed an interest in the event. Last weekend, Cragg raced for the first time since sustaining the Achilles tendon injury that destroyed his hopes of winning the European track title in Gothenburg back in August.

Cragg took 11th place at the Chile Pepper invitational cross country close to his American base in Arkansas, covering the 10km distance in 28:52, with the real reward being that his injury problem does appear to be behind him.

Tomorrow, meanwhile, the AAI are staging a National Endurance Workshop, where among the guest speakers is Norway's former world track, cross country and road champion Ingrid Kristiansen.

The event takes place at the Dublin airport's Great Southern Hotel from 10am to 5pm, with admission available of the day at a cost of €25.