A repeat of last year's bronze medal team performance is the realistic aim of the Irish senior men in tomorrow's European Cross Country Championships in Thun, Switzerland, but it will require a performance close to their best. The eighth edition of these championships has again attracted the cream of European distance runners, but without the all-conquering African presence, the Irish are looking to leave an impression in the leading places. The front-running duo of Seamus Power and Peter Mathews are capable of breaking into the top 10.
Yet the quality of opposition is reflected in the fact that the men's race includes three out of the four past winners in the event. Portugal's Paulo Guerra, who has already got four wins (1994, 1995, 1999 and 2000), will compete for a fifth title, while Carsten J÷rgensen of Denmark (1997) and Sergy Lebid (1996) of the Ukraine are out for a second one.
Last year's race in Sweden saw the Irish men claim the bronze medals behind France and Spain, who will again lead the team challenge along with Portugal, Germany and Great Britain. Three of Ireland's top four are back from last year, as Mathews (10th) and Power (14th) are joined by Gareth Turnbull (23rd). US-based Keith Kelly (25th) has pulled out through injury, but his replacement, Martin McCarthy, was once Ireland's top finisher in the race.
The senior women, led by the massively experienced Anne Keenan-Buckley, are intent on improving the sixth placing of a year ago. If the likes of Breda Dennehy-Willis and Valerie Vaughan perform to their best, then a medal is certainly within reach. But again they'll have to cope with strong Spanish, Portuguese and French teams.
That race also includes 1995 champion Annemari Sandell of Finland and local hope Anita Weyermann, the winner in 1999. Other strong contenders are Olivera Jevtic of Yugoslavia (with four successive bronze medals), and last year's runner-up, Analidia Torre, of Portugal.
The event, which has attracted 318 entries from 27 nations, is, strangely enough, run on a mostly flat course in the heart of the Alps. Included also are eight men from last year's top 10 and seven in the women.
Both junior races also include Irish teams, who will be looking to gain some experience ahead of the World Championships on home soil next March.
Germany's Dieter Baumann, banned after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone, will make his return to competition in Dortmund on January 27th.
The 36-year-old 1992 Olympic 5,000 metres champion, who tested positive in October and November in 1999, had originally been banned until 2003.
But the IAAF ruled two days ago to end the ban on January 21st. The German, a strong anti-doping campaigner, insisted that he was innocent and that his toothpaste had been spiked with the drug.
