The Portuguese women’s national cross country team spent last week training in Albufeira before departing for last Sunday’s European Championships in Dublin. A brilliant collective performance saw Jessica Augusto, Inês Monteiro and Dulce Felix finish fourth, fifth and sixth respectively behind Britain’s 35-year-old ‘comeback-kid’ Hayley Yelling to reclaim the team gold won in Brussels last year.
In the men’s event won by Spain’s Alemayehu Bezaneh Jose Rocha and Eduardo Mbengani took sixth and seventh to lift their team into fifth overall with Britain taking silver as in the women’s equivalent.
The successful defending and new ladies title holders were accompanied to Ireland by Albufeira Camara President Desiderio Silva whose municipality will stage the prestigous event in 12 months’ time.
