ATHLETICS World Champion confirmed for European Cross Country Championships in Dublin

Athletics Ireland has confirmed that World Champion Marta Domيnguez will compete at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Dublin in December. The Spaniard, who won the 3000m Steeplechase at the World Championships in Berlin last month, took gold at the European Cross Country in her home city of Toro in 2007.

Dominguez is one of the world's finest athletes, winning her first senior international medal with a bronze at the European Indoors in 1996. Over the course of the last 13 years she has won 13 medals at World and European level both indoor and outdoor. Dominquez is Spain's most decorated athlete but despite her many success the 33-year-old has never won an Olympic medal. She came close in Beijing last summer when while she was amongst the leaders with 250m to go she clipped a barrier and fell, failing to finish the race.

Dominguez will now be added to a field that already includes last year's European Cross Country champions Serhiy Lebid from the Ukraine and Hilda Kibet from the Netherlands. Lebid will be aiming for an amazing ninth title, when the event takes place in Dublin on the 13th of December.

Liam Hennessy, President of Athletics Ireland, is delighted to have such a world class field coming to Dublin. "When you put on such an event you always hope that the best athletes will be available to compete as we want to put on a great show for everyone. To be able to announce the likes of Marta Dominguez who has been at the top of world athletics for a decade alongside Lebid and Kibet is great for the event. It means we will have world class athletes in Dublin competing alongside Ireland's best such as Mary Cullen, Martin Fagan and Alistair Cragg," Hennessy announced today.

For more information and regular updates on the event and to sign up to the mailing list for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships then log on to www.Dublin2009.ie. Athletics Ireland is supported nationally in running this event by the Irish Sports Council, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, RTة and Clonliffe Harriers.