U-20 Men 4000m 1:20pm

John Travers (Donore Harriers)

Reigning champion John Travers was Ireland’s leading junior distance runner this summer. Superb runs of 8:09 and 14:15 over 3000m and 5000m saw him ranked 8th and 12th respectively in the Irish senior rankings this year and also qualified him for the World Junior Championships in Canada. His 31:14 run for 10000m also saw him inside the top 10 in the national lists. John took the national junior titles this year in cross country and 3000m along with a silver medal in the 1500m and gold in the senior schools cross country championships. Travers is certainly the one to watch in Emo on September 18th.

Ryan Creech (Leevale)

Coming back from a series of injuries, Creech used Ballyfin Junior-Cross to good effect to open his cross country season. Having finished 6th, his season went from strength to strength with a 3rd place finish at the Inter-Counties Championships securing his place on the Irish team for the European Cross Country Championships in Santry. Ryan continued his progress there to lead the Irish team home with a 41st place finish. This year he took gold in the Irish Schools 5000m and will be hoping to bring that good form to Ballyfin Junior-Cross 2010.

Liam Brady (Tullamore Harriers)

After finishing 3rd last year at Ballyfin Junior-Cross, Brady put in some stellar performances to take silver in the under 19 and bronze in the under 18 All-Ireland championships. 2010 has seen Brady put in some more solid performances. In the spring cross country season, he took bronze in the Irish Schools Championships and finished 4th in the All-Ireland Junior Championships. On the track he took the national under 19 title over 3000m while also taking bronze in the 1500m.

Liam Tremble (Metro St Brigid’s)

National Junior 1500m champion Liam Tremble is one to watch at AB Travel Ballyfin Junior-Cross 2010. Tremble was a member of the Irish team for last year’s European cross country championships having finished 2nd in the inter-counties championships. In this year’s spring cross country season, he finished 2nd at the inter-clubs championships and 4th in the Irish universities championships.

Carl Dunne (Dunleer)

Carl was a double medallist at under 18 level in this year’s All-Ireland championships running 8:52 to take silver in the 3000m and taking home bronze in the 1500m. He was also impressive in schools competition with a 5th place finish in the all-Ireland schools cross country championships.

Jake Byrne (Mullingar)
Having represented Ireland in the 3000 metres at the 2009 World Youth Championships, the talented Jake Byrne has kept a low profile in 2010. Some good summer road races, most notably an easily won 5k recently (15:27), should prepare him well for the stiff competition at AB Travel Ballyfin Junior-Cross 2010.

2009 profiles here.