NOT FOR THE first time, Fionnuala McCormack was unable to hide her disappointment and frustration after being denied a medal by Turkey’s two Kenyan-born athletes at the European Cross Country Championships.
Yasemin Can and Meryem Akda — both of whom have neither lived nor trained in the country they represent — stormed to gold and silver respectively in Chia, with McCormack coming home in fifth in a time of 25:28.
The Wicklow runner, the winner of this event in Velenje in 2011 and Budapest in 2012, was in contention for a bronze for much of the race but faded in the closing stages to cross 42 seconds behind Can.
“The whole race was a bit of a blur and that’s probably what disappoints me,” she said afterwards.
“It was just a grind like and that’s not the way my cross country races have been this year so I don’t really know what to think about. I feel as if I had one of those days that you just don’t want to have on a championship day. It doesn’t happen that often.”
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The IAAF’s rules on eligibility have once again come into sharp focus with Kenyan athletes dominating in both the men’s and women’s races in Chia.
Sasa Pahic Szabo / INPHO
Sasa Pahic Szabo / INPHO / INPHO
“I honestly don’t know what to say about this anymore,” McCormack said. “Some would say too much, I don’t really think I have. It’s a problem and it’s not just Kenya to Turkey and I don’t think a transfer of allegiances is the only problem, there are way more problems out there.
“I don’t know enough about it to be able to say anything but we can’t just ignore it, something has to be done. I can’t do anything about it, someone else has to do it and it’s at the top that it needs to be sorted out. That’s all I can really say about it.
“I do love this event but it’s been very frustrating over the last couple of years. It’s not because of anyone else, it’s just me. Because I love it so much I really want to perform on this stage. It means a lot to me, it probably means more than it should and that’s why right now I’m devastated. Experience is not what I wanted to go home with, I wanted to go home with a medal.”
Meanwhile, the Irish team of Shona Heaslip, Kerry O’Flaherty, Ciara Mageean, Laura Crowe, Michelle Finn and McCormack finished sixth in the team standings.
In the men’s race, Paul Pollock was the best of the Irish as he finished in 36th position.
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'Something has to be done': McCormack misses out on medal to Turkey's Kenyan-born runners
NOT FOR THE first time, Fionnuala McCormack was unable to hide her disappointment and frustration after being denied a medal by Turkey’s two Kenyan-born athletes at the European Cross Country Championships.
Yasemin Can and Meryem Akda — both of whom have neither lived nor trained in the country they represent — stormed to gold and silver respectively in Chia, with McCormack coming home in fifth in a time of 25:28.
The Wicklow runner, the winner of this event in Velenje in 2011 and Budapest in 2012, was in contention for a bronze for much of the race but faded in the closing stages to cross 42 seconds behind Can.
“The whole race was a bit of a blur and that’s probably what disappoints me,” she said afterwards.
The IAAF’s rules on eligibility have once again come into sharp focus with Kenyan athletes dominating in both the men’s and women’s races in Chia.
“I honestly don’t know what to say about this anymore,” McCormack said. “Some would say too much, I don’t really think I have. It’s a problem and it’s not just Kenya to Turkey and I don’t think a transfer of allegiances is the only problem, there are way more problems out there.
Irish Sports Network / SoundCloud
“I don’t know enough about it to be able to say anything but we can’t just ignore it, something has to be done. I can’t do anything about it, someone else has to do it and it’s at the top that it needs to be sorted out. That’s all I can really say about it.
“I do love this event but it’s been very frustrating over the last couple of years. It’s not because of anyone else, it’s just me. Because I love it so much I really want to perform on this stage. It means a lot to me, it probably means more than it should and that’s why right now I’m devastated. Experience is not what I wanted to go home with, I wanted to go home with a medal.”
Meanwhile, the Irish team of Shona Heaslip, Kerry O’Flaherty, Ciara Mageean, Laura Crowe, Michelle Finn and McCormack finished sixth in the team standings.
In the men’s race, Paul Pollock was the best of the Irish as he finished in 36th position.
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European cross country European Cross Country Championships Fionnuala McCormack