Hon Nick 
Hon Ireland
In the grand traditional scheme of cross country this is a ridiculous track, but unlike any other I’ve seen
Silver for the Men’s senior. A ridiculously good performance from them all
From the local press in Wexford. What a great young person & athlete.
‘Running helped me through everything’ – Emma Hickey on how the death of her mother shaped her journey to become European medallist
16-year-old Wexford athlete, who became Ireland’s first female to medal at the European Cross Country Championships, lost her mother Olive to cancer on Christmas Day last year
Jessica O’Connor
New Ross Standard
Today at 05:30
Wexford teenager Emma Hickey made Irish athletics history at the weekend, becoming the country’s first-ever female U20 medallist at the European Cross Country Championships. But behind the podium finish lies a year the New Ross athlete and her family describe as “bittersweet”, marked by personal loss, resilience and quiet determination.
Speaking exclusively from the principal’s office at St Mary’s Secondary School in New Ross Emma, who took home the bronze medal from the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal over the weekend and became Ireland’s first-ever female U20 medallist, described the response from her friends and family as “unbelievable”.
The 16-year-old said her cross-country journey began when she was around 13 years old as she would always go out running with her dad, then later joined their local athletics club, United Striders.
“It was nice to go out and talk to my dad during the runs, and just catch up on everything. It was just something that he always did with me, and it was nice spending that time together,” said Emma.
It didn’t take Emma, her family and club long before realising that she was a natural when it came to running, and her competitiveness was even more apparent in the early days when she first competed and it became a trend that she returned with medals.
“I started with a few cross country races, and I won a lot of them. Then, when I did my first Leinster cross country race, when I was 13, I came second, and I was actually disappointed with it, because I wanted to win, even though it was a good performance,” said Emma, as she added that it was a similar feeling for her when she placed fourth at her first All-Irelands.
“I was quite happy with that result, because I hadn’t been running that long, and I really liked that I was good at it, but there was part of me that always wanted to do better,” she said.
Emma Hickey with her dad John, holds her bronze medal after the U20 women’s race at the 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
This time last year, there were a lot of unimaginable changes to come for Emma and her family. Not only was she adjusting to the mentorship of her new coach, David McCarthy of West Waterford AC, but she and her two younger siblings, Tom and Conor – who are also very active in the sporting world – were sharing their last moments with their beloved mother, Olive, who sadly passed away on December 25, 2024.
Emma described her late mother during her funeral mass as “the strongest, kindest and most selfless person, who always put everyone else before herself, especially her beloved family”.
“If I get even a fraction of her braveness, her strength, her kindness, her liveliness or her determination, I’ll be doing well,” Emma added, also stating that she “couldn’t have asked for a better mother and role model. She was one in a million”.
While trying to navigate the loss of her mother, along with her family, school and social life, Emma said that in the last year, “the running helped me through everything”.
“It was good for me to have something to look forward to, and to work towards all the time. Running is a great release and it was something I could focus and improve on during that time,” said Emma.
“Working with David was very different at the start, because it involved a lot more consistency and planning. I didn’t mind it because I could see that I improved very quickly and it was a relief that I wasn’t second guessing anything,” she added.
European bronze medal cross country winner Emma Hickey photographed in school in St Mary’s secondary with friends Hannah Carney, Grace Bolger, Louise Vereker, Emily Cody and May Heaphy. Photo; Mary Browne
When commenting on Emma’s work ethic and resounding success, as Olive’s first anniversary approaches, her “very proud” dad, John, said that it’s all been “bittersweet” from his perspective. “The person I want to celebrate with most, is not here,” he said, while he continued by saying that sport, especially athletics, rugby, football and horse riding, has been a constant for his three children over the past year.
“They’re all into their sports and they were straight back into it the day after their mother’s funeral. They have all been so determined,” John said.
“We didn’t miss trainings, we were kept going with their training sessions and work and after Christmas last year we went straight back into work and school, because we didn’t really know what else to do. It’s been a tough year, but last September when Olive was sick, I was running with Emma up until this point, then Emma started working with David and it came at the right time because there was a lot to be managed.
“Olive’s condition forced it upon me to organise a coach for Emma, and I’m delighted now I did. I could see that she had it in her, and it never would have happened if she didn’t get the training she’s getting now which is a lot more technical. She would have definitely placed, but she wouldn’t have medalled and every session she’s doing now is so technical and each one has a focus and purpose, which is tweaked week on week,” he said.
The Hickey family said they are looking forward to spending time with their loved ones over Christmas, as they also prepare to dedicate time to remembering Olive. They also thanked the family members, friends and schools and sporting communities who have taken the time to support them over the past year and particularly those who travelled with them over the weekend.
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That’s awful. And great.
I don’t really like this thread being bumped because I’m worried to read something about Ciara Magean, the best of us all. In every way.
God yeah. Id forgotten about that. Hope she’s doing well
World Cross Country on at the moment. Irish guy currently in top 20 in under 20 race.
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This cross country course is mad. They’ve a carpet roller coaster, a mud pile, a water section & some log hurdles/fences. Brian Fay is around 30th approaching 6km into the 10km race.
Very good run from Fay there, worked his way through the field & looked like a top 20 finish.
Edit: finished 16th in a sprint with Jimmy Gressier.
Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) has broken his own Irish 10k road national record clocking 27:38 in Valencia this morning
World 10,000m bronze medallist Andreas Almgren smashed his European 10km record for his second successive victory at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja on Sunday (11) morning.
Almgren crossed the finish-line in 26:45 to shave eight seconds off the European 10km record which he set in winning last year’s race.
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Jack O’Leary also got the big Q for Birmingham with his time just behind Efrem.
19 year old Ava Crean also set a National U23 record in the same race but I believe it won’t count as it was recorded in a mixed race rather than a women’s race which is a rule I wasn’t aware of before.
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Dan Martin who ran a sub 30 10k a couple of weeks back paced his wife Jess who is a former Olympic athlete for GB to a 32 mins time in that race too. Only a fun run for Dan I guess
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Mark English new national best over 600m
1.15.80
Sarah Leahy also set a new NR over 50m. Odd distances all the same!
He’d have the engine. Geraint Thomas who has just retired is doing a marathon in a couple of months.
Mark English lowers his indoor 800m NR under 1:45
He appears to have been dropped by Asics now and is unsponsored. Hopefully not for long
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Cian McPhillips going straight in heavy for his season opener