DCU students up and running
22 March 2004

Fionnuala Britton

DCU is sending the largest student athlete contingent of any Irish university to the World University Cross-country championships which will take place in Collegno near Turin, Italy on 28 March 2004. The games were established in 1968 and take place every two years, with the women racing over 6km and the men over 12km.

In total, Ireland is sending a team of five women and six men to the championships, and of these, Fionnuala Britton, Eoin Higgins, Ian Chaney and Mark Christie are from DCU. The World University Cross-country Championship is the second most prestigious race after the World Championship and bridges the gap between Junior and Senior Championships. The last DCU athlete to compete in the World University Championship was Maria McCambridge, who, in 2000, went on to finish 9th in the World Indoor Championship earlier this month.

Mark Christie and Eoin Higgins

Two of this year's DCU athletes selected will be competing in the World Championships in Brussels the weekend before; Mark Christie in the Junior Men's and Fionnuala Britton in her first appearance in the senior race after competing in the junior on the previous three occasions.

While Eoin, Ian and Fionnuala will be competing in the University cross-country championships, Mark will be focussing on this year's world championships.

Fionnuala Britton is a first year student on Sport Science and Health. She comes from Newcastle, Co Wicklow and has already competed in the World Juniors Championships 2001, 2002 and 2003. This year she will be competing in the senior championships on the 21 March. She has already come first in the Irish University Championships and won a record three national junior cross-country championships.

Mark Christie is a first year student of Business Studies. He is from Mullingar, Westmeath, and competed in the World junior championships in 2002 and 2003. He will be competing in this year's world junior championships on the 20 March 2004. He came second in the Irish University Championships and won a record three national junior cross-country championships.

Eoin Higgins is a first year student of Computer Applications. He is from Kilcock, Kildare. He competed in the World junior championships in 2002 and came third in the Irish University Championships.

Ian Chaney

Fionnuala Britton

Ian Chaney is a second year student on the BSc in Biotechnology programme. He is from Artane, Dublin and came fourth in Irish University Championships.

The university wishes the students every good wish for the challenge in Collegno, and whatever the outcome, is delighted with the level of participation by such a talented and enthusiastic team.

Good luck.