Posted 16 December 2025
UCD Sport is proud to celebrate the outstanding success of current and former (opens in a new window)UCD Athletics Club members / UCD students at the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal, where Irish athletes delivered historic performances on the international stage.
Senior Men Claim Historic Team Silver
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โ Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) (opens in a new window)December 14, 2025
THEY HAVE ONLY GONE AND DONE IT!!! Ireland's first senior men's medal in 25 years๐คฉAll FIVE athletes inside the top 20๐คฏ๐คฏ๐คฏ
๐ฅJack O'Leary 5th, Brian Fay 10th, Cormac Dalton 11th, Darragh McElhinney 16th, Efrem Gidey 19th๐
๐ฅSpain 16โฆ (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/XYFmUy4vtS
Ireland secured a silver medal in the senior menโs team event, marking the nationโs first podium finish at the European Cross Country Championships in 25 years. Former UCD Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar and UCD Sportsperson of the Year 2022, Darragh McElhinney, played a key role in this remarkable achievement.
McElhinney was part of a strong Irish team alongside Brian Fay, Efrem Gidey, Cormac Dalton and Jack OโLeary, who combined to deliver a consistent and determined performance against Europeโs best endurance athletes.
The result represents a significant milestone for Irish distance running and highlights the impact of UCD graduates competing at the highest level of international sport.
U23 Men Crowned European Champions
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โ Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) (opens in a new window)December 14, 2025
The U23 team put in a stunning display to take team gold with THREE inside the top 10๐คฏ
๐ฅIreland 19 Points
๐ฅFrance 33,5 Points
๐ฅSpain 43 Points(opens in a new window)#IrishAthletics | (opens in a new window)#Lagoa25 | (opens in a new window)@ask123ie (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/CfpIIYltTg
Irelandโs success continued in the U23 menโs race, where the team produced a stunning display to claim team gold, with an impressive three athletes finishing inside the top 10.
UCD was strongly represented on the championship-winning team by current UCD Athletics Club members and UCD Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholars, Jonas Stafford and Lughaidh Mallon. Their performances were instrumental in securing the title, showcasing both individual excellence and team strength.
They were joined by Nick Griggs (won won Gold in the U23 race), Niall Murphy, and Callum Morgan to complete a dominant Irish team performance.
Proud UCD Representation on the International Stage
These results underline the continued success of UCD athletes across both current students and alumni, and reflect the strength of the Universityโs high-performance sporting environment.
Image Credit: (opens in a new window)Sportsfile