Laois Athletes prepare for 2022 British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships

The 2022 British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships ( incorporating the Home Countries International ) takes place in Cumbria, England on Saturday next, September 3rd.

This junior event comprises two age-groups, U17 and U20.

Ireland has four teams competing - Girls U17 and U20 and Boys U17 and U20.

Remarkably, the four teams of four athletes each, have 5 Laois athletes among the 16 participants.

Della McLoughlin and Ruairi Jago (both Oughaval AC) are on the U17 teams, and Niamh McDonald (Ballyroan Abbeyleix), Kate Connolly (St Michaels AC) and Cillian Moran (Portlaoise AC) are on the U20 teams.

The teams depart Dublin Port on Friday morning, along with families and well-wishers.

This Cumbria course will be a stiff test. 

The U17's run 2.4km up the mountain side, climbing 250m in the process, and then descend at breakneck speed back to the start / finish line. Underfoot conditions will be challenging, plenty of rough ground, rocks and brambles. The U20's do a broadly similar course, but travel an extra 500m out, and climb to 300m.

Owen Connolly (St Michaels AC), the Ireland team manager, is very pleased to have five athletes from the county taking part.

Since the teams were selected at the Irish trials, he has been busy with training schedules and trips to Ticknock and Glendalough, and he has these athletes well prepared for the event.