Ingebrigtsen and Battocletti Triumph at 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya
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At the 2024 European Cross Country Championships held in Antalya, Turkey, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Nadia Battocletti emerged as the champions in their respective senior categories, each marking significant milestones in their illustrious careers.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen, already a celebrated figure in distance running, added yet another feather to his cap by clinching his seventh European cross-country title (3rd in sentior division). Having missed the previous year's championships due to injury, Ingebrigtsen's comeback was emphatic. He strategically positioned himself behind the early leaders before making a decisive move to take the lead and eventually winning the race with a time of 22:16, a clear eight seconds ahead of his closest competitor, Yemaneberhan Crippa from Italy. His performance underscored his resilience and tactical prowess in cross-country running.
Men's Senior Race:
Crippa seized the initiative early, setting a brisk tempo alongside Hugo Milner, who had placed fourth at last year’s European Cross Country Championships in Brussels and claimed victory at the National Cross Country Championships during the previous winter. Ingebrigtsen settled comfortably into third position within a tightly-knit leading pack. Milner intensified the pace on the second lap, testing the resolve of his rivals. Among those rising to the challenge were defending champion Yann Schrub of France, 2016 European Under-23 champion Isaac Kimeli of Belgium, and championship debutant Andreas Almgren, who had impressed with a fourth-place finish in the 10,000m at the European Championships in Rome. Together, they kept the pressure on Ingebrigtsen, Crippa, and Ndikumwenayo in a thrilling tactical battle.
Ingebrigtsen pulled away decisively in the final stages, establishing an eight-second lead over Crippa to claim victory in 22:16 over the 7,832-meter course.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen: “Cross country is something that I really enjoy. It's very different from my other competitions. There's something special and exciting about being 100 people at the starting line, going for the first turn. There's a lot of fighting and pushing and shoving. There's a lot of things that could happen, the course is so challenging and tactical, as well as technical. It's all about using the energy wisely. It's very exciting and of course I feel strong as well. I really enjoy competing in cross country events. Training is the main focus. Just like in this race, if everything is a hundred per cent and everything goes as planned I will try to compete as much as I can. It's a lot of fun.”
Women's Senior Race:
On the women's side, Nadia Battocletti showcased her dominance by securing her first senior European cross-country title, a victory that complements her remarkable track season where she won two European golds earlier in the year. Battocletti's race was marked by strategic patience; she stayed close to the early leaders before making her move in the final kilometers to win with a comfortable margin.
Manon Trapp of France surged ahead early, establishing a commanding 50-meter lead during the opening long lap.
Battocletti settled into second place at the helm of a determined chasing pack, as Trapp extended her advantage to eight seconds by the halfway mark, maintaining her momentum through the second lap. The chase group, led by Battocletti, Yasemin Can, and Delvine Meringor, began to fragment under the increasing pace.
Close behind, Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Jana Van Lent remained in striking distance, carefully positioning themselves for the final push.
As the race unfolded, the chasing pack reeled in Trapp, with Battocletti making a decisive move to take the lead. The field narrowed to five athletes entering the final lap, with Trapp slipping to sixth place as the pace intensified.
In a display of strength and tactical brilliance, Battocletti pulled away from Klosterhalfen on the final circuit, steadily widening her lead. The Italian crossed the finish line in a dominant 25:43, securing victory with an 11-second margin over Klosterhalfen.
Elisa Palmero (13th) and Ludovica Cavalli (16th) contributed crucial points to Italy’s team total of 33, clinching first place in the standings by a slim three-point margin over Great Britain. Belgium secured third with 46 points, matching their podium finish from last year on home soil in Brussels.
Women’s Under-23 Race:
Phoebe Anderson of Great Britain claimed the women’s under-23 gold medal, completing the 6,324-meter course in 21:16. She narrowly edged out Spain’s Maria Forero, the 2022 European under-20 champion, who finished in 21:21. Finland’s Ilona Mononen, last year’s bronze medalist in the under-23 category and a former European under-20 champion in the 3,000 meters, secured third place in 21:24.
The race began with a strong start from 20-year-old Mia Waldmann of Great Britain, who led through the early stages and into the second half. However, Mononen, displaying her strength and tactical awareness, surged to the front as the final lap approached. Mononen, Forero, Anderson, and Waldmann formed a tight lead group, battling for positions as the finish line loomed.
The competition intensified down the homestretch, evolving into a thrilling three-way duel between Anderson, Forero, and Mononen. With little separating the trio, Anderson unleashed a decisive final kick to secure victory.
Great Britain’s success extended to the team standings, where they captured the gold medal with 24 points, comfortably ahead of Turkey (38 points) and Germany (40 points).
Phoebe Anderson:
"I trusted in my 1500m speed, and we did a lot of strong strides in practice to be ready to finish sharply. We knew the course would be muddy, and it all came down to a quick final stretch."
Men’s Under-23 Race:
Will Barnicoat of Great Britain successfully defended his European under-23 cross-country title, crossing the finish line in 18:27 after an intense duel with Ireland’s Nick Griggs, who finished just one second behind. David Stone, also from Great Britain, clinched the bronze medal with a time of 18:31.
The British team dominated the event, claiming gold in the team standings with 17 points, ahead of France (24 points) and Denmark (42 points).
The race began with a large pack of 20 athletes tightly grouped at the end of the first of four laps. Italy’s Konjoneh Maggi injected pace on the third lap, breaking up the field and narrowing the contenders to Barnicoat, Griggs, Stone, Maggi, and France’s Luc Le Baron.
Despite appearing to struggle with 400 meters remaining, Griggs surged in the final 200 meters, overtaking Stone to set up a thrilling head-to-head with Barnicoat. In a neck-and-neck battle down the home straight, Barnicoat’s superior finishing kick secured his victory. Both Barnicoat and Griggs remain eligible for the under-23 category in 2025. Stone, making a remarkable comeback from years of injuries, completed the podium.
Will Barnicoat:
"It was a really tough race. I know I can hold off competitors in the final straight, so my goal was to position myself well heading into that stretch. I loved the course—it’s challenging but fast. The team did an incredible job. David Stone, who’s only been training for about a month, truly deserves his bronze medal."
Mixed Relay:
Italy reclaimed the mixed relay gold medal, marking their second victory in the event after their 2022 triumph on home soil in Venaria Reale. Last year’s champions, France, took the silver medal, while Great Britain earned bronze.
France’s Antoine Senard, the sole returning member of their 2023 gold-medal-winning team, set a strong pace on the first 1,710-meter lap, clocking 4:29 and leading a tightly packed top five. By the second lap, France, Great Britain, and Italy had emerged as front-runners. Italy’s Marta Zenoni broke up the lead group with an impressive 4:36 split, while Maddie Deadman (Great Britain) and Emilie Girard (France) kept their teams in contention.
France regained the lead in the third leg, thanks to Olympic 1,500-meter finalist Agathe Guillemot, who clocked a blistering 4:43, the fastest women’s split of the race. Italian record-holder Sintayehu Vissa and Britain’s Elise Thorner stayed within striking distance, setting up a dramatic final leg.
Italy’s Pietro Arese, France’s Simon Bedard, and Britain’s Tyler Byliard entered the home straight neck and neck. Arese, who won 1,500-meter bronze at the European Championships in Rome, unleashed a powerful sprint to secure victory in 18:02. All three teams clocked the same time in a nail-biting finish.
Pietro Arese:
"The final straight was incredible. I was tired but managed to hold off the British and French athletes, who ran amazing relays. Winning again is special, especially as the only member of our 2022 gold-medal team. We were fourth last year, so I was determined to reclaim the title. Next, I’ll likely focus on the European Indoors and finish the season at the World Running Championships."
Men’s Under-20 Race:
European under-20 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter champion Niels Laros of the Netherlands claimed his first European under-20 cross-country title, finishing in 14:07. He edged Great Britain’s George Couttie by two seconds in a thrilling finish, while Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen, the world under-20 3,000-meter champion, secured bronze in 14:16 after a strong closing surge.
Norway’s Magnus Oyen also clocked 14:16, narrowly missing the podium, while Karl Ottfalk finished fifth in 14:18. Norway’s team depth earned them the gold medal with 17 points, ahead of the Netherlands (20 points) and France (40 points).
The early stages saw Italy’s Francesco Mazza pushing the pace before Couttie and Ottfalk took charge on the second lap. By the bell, the top 20 athletes were separated by just two seconds. Couttie launched an attack on the final downhill stretch, but Laros countered strongly, breaking away with 200 meters to go. Despite Couttie’s persistence, Laros held his lead to secure the win.
Niels Laros:
"The course was tougher than I expected, making it hard to find a rhythm, but that’s what makes it a true cross-country challenge. I’m thrilled to win after last year’s silver and to end my under-20 career with gold. I’m equally proud of our team’s silver medal—it’s a historic first for Dutch athletics."
Women’s Under-20 Race:
Innes FitzGerald of Great Britain defended her European under-20 cross-country title with a commanding performance, finishing the 4,814-meter course in 15:47. Her teammate Jess Bailey secured silver in 15:58, completing a British 1-2 finish. FitzGerald became only the fourth woman to achieve back-to-back titles in this category.
Denmark’s Sofia Thorgesen, who set a European under-20 indoor record in the 3,000 meters earlier this year, outkicked Germany’s Julia Ehrle in the final meters to claim bronze in 16:03. Both athletes were credited with the same time.
Great Britain dominated the team standings, winning gold ahead of France and Italy. FitzGerald and Bailey, joined by Ehrle, pulled away after 2 kilometers, with FitzGerald breaking clear with 2 kilometers to go. She extended her lead to 11 seconds over Bailey by the finish.
Innes FitzGerald:
"The course was fantastic, and the atmosphere was amazing. I’m so happy to defend my title. I gave my all today, and I’m thrilled it paid off. I look forward to returning next year and building on this success."
The event itself was held in Antalya's Dokuma Park, featuring a course that included challenging sections of sand and mud, adding an extra layer of complexity to the competition. This year's championships were notable not just for the individual performances but also for the vibrant team dynamics and strategic races across various age groups.
The 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya will be remembered for the compelling narratives of comeback and conquest, with Ingebrigtsen and Battocletti at the forefront, demonstrating the spirit and endurance that define cross-country champions.
