Anna Gardiner, together with seven fellow Irish athletes, travelled to the Serbian capital,
Belgrade, to compete in the World Cross Country Championships at the weekend.
An unseasonably hot and sunny day with temperatures reaching 27 degrees, conditions in the
city’s Friendship Park made for fast running throughout. The course made up of 2k loops and
was flat so manmade obstacles of raised inclines, hay bales and manmade muddy sections were used to make it more interesting and more like typical cross-country courses. A far cry from the muddy races over the last cross-country season in Ireland. These conditions possibly favoured the East African runners and their class was on show. They took all but one of the twenty-seven medals on offer across five races of the day. Kenya getting eleven, Ethiopia, ten and Uganda five.

Anna’s race was the first race of the day and she lined up with fellow Irish U20 Kirsty Maher.
All eager supporters at home tried to find a steaming channel to watch and support from afar.
The BBC’s late decision to cover the event was received well but bizarrely the female U20 race
was not covered so many had to wait for reports through social media about how the race was
going.
The winner was a virtually unknown fifteen-year-old Marta Alemayo from Ethiopia leading
home an Ethiopian medal sweep, with Asayech Ayichew and Robe Dida finishing second and
third respectively.

Anna came home in 37 th in a time of 21.58 delighted to finish in the top half of the field
closely followed by teammate Kirsty in 40 th in 22.10 She also was delighted to come ninth in
the field of European runners.

Anna’s first-hand report after the race was the best commentary though. She reported –
I’m not used to that kind of cross country, but it was absolutely brilliant to get to the start line
with some of the most incredible runners in the world, l’m really chuffed with it. It was
brilliant to have the two of us (Kirsty) working together.” She also reported that some
previous experience of hurdles five years previously was of some use to tackle the hay bales.
A brilliant performance on the world stage for Anna and she took it in her stride saying she
approached the race like any other cross-country race and the plan was to enjoy the occasion.
Congratulations.
Also a second celebration occurred on the day. It was Anna’s eighteenth birthday. What a way
to celebrate your 18th birthday!