Results
BELGRADE, SERBIA - Four members of the Iona College men's and women's cross country program competed in the 2013 SPAR European Cross Country Championships at the Park of Friendship. Sophomore Kate Avery was the Gaels top performer, finishing fourth overall in the women's U23 championship.
Avery helped lead Great Britain to a gold medal with her performance. She finished the 6k event in 19:56, 16 seconds behind the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan. Serbia's Amela Terzic (19:46) was second while her British teammate Charlotte Purdue was third (19:59).
With a team score of 19 points, Great Britain topped silver medalist Russia (54 points) and bronze medalist Netherlands (70).
Freshman Maya Rehberg finished 10th overall in the women's junior championship. She ran the 4k race in 13:41. Great Britain's Emelia Gorecka was the individual champion in 13:06. Competing for her native Germany, she was the second finisher for her country while helping to lead her team to a bronze medal. Great Britain took gold and Sweden took silver.
Also competing in the U23 women's event was Iona alum Marion Joly-Testault. She was 55th overall (22:24) as France finished seventh.
In the men's 8k U23 championship, senior Jake Byrne finished 60th (25:29) and Ireland was fourth overall as a team.
The Iona men's and women's cross country programs completed highly successful 2013 campaigns this November. Both programs extended their NCAA Division I leading conference championship streaks (Men, 23rd straight; Women, ninth straight) while the men were third overall at NCAA Northeast Regionals and sixth at the 2013 NCAA Championship. Avery was the 2013 MAAC Cross Country Champion. Her third place finish at the NCAA Championships was the highest in school history for the women's program.