Success for St Mary’s Athletes at European Championships

Athletes and Alumni of the Endurance Performance Centre (EPC) at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, saw success at the European Cross-Country Championships hosted on 11^th December as Team GB topped the medal table.

The annual competition, hosted in Turin, Italy, brought together the leading European athletics talent to compete in a range of individual and team races. St Mary’s was represented by six EPC athletes and alumni, and EPC Performance Coach Mick Woods who attended to coach the Team GB Men’s U23 Team.

EPC Alumnus, Emile Cairess took the Silver Medal in the Men’s Senior Race, just nine seconds behind Olympic and World Champion Jakub Ingebrigtsen. Emile has seen an impressive 2022 as he recently matched fellow St Mary’s EPC Alumnus Sir Mo Farah’s British 10km Record, won the men’s senior race at the British Athletics Cross Country Challenge.

During his time at St Mary’s, Emile demonstrated his aptitude for competing in cross-country as he won the British Universities and Colleges Sport National Cross-Country title. Emile was joined in the Men’s Senior Race by alumnus Ellis Cross, who was a late selection for the championships and finished in 37^th, and alumnus Jack Rowe who finished 44^th.

In the Mixed Relay, alumnae Revee Walcot-Nolan (Team GB) and Georgia Hartigan (Team Ireland) competed for their respective national teams. Revee, who competed in the women’s 1500m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, finished with her team in fifth place, with Georgie finished in ninth.

In the Men’s U23, St Mary’s student and EPC Athlete Joe Wigfield made his return for Team GB, having last competed at the European Junior Championships in 2019. Joe finished in 13^th as Team GB won the team Gold Medal.

Speaking of their performances, St Mary’s EPC Performance Coach Mick Woods said, “It was a great weekend for Team GB at the European Cross-Country Championships, coming away with 10 medals and easily topping the medal table. But the best performance on the day for me was Emile’s outstanding run in the senior men’s race. Finishing 2^nd behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen in a quality world class field is undoubtedly the best performance by any British athlete since Mo Farah’s victory in this event back in 2005.”