By Clay Shaw Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell
12.10.23 Brussels, Belgium—Axel Vang Christensen of Denmark became a two-time U20 SPAR European Cross Country Champion, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Christensen also won the U20 championship in Dublin in 2021.
Niels Laros of Netherlands took the lead on the final lap, but Christensen was able to pass him on the final straight to win by one second, 16:09 to 16:10, on the muddy 5000-meter course.
Nicholas Griggs of Ireland, who had an unfortunate fall on the final straight in the 2022 Turin event, stayed upright in a solid third place, finishing in 16:24 and leading Ireland to the team gold.
Karl Ottfalk of Sweden was fourth in 16:39. Sam Mills of Great Britain was fifth in 16:43, and he and Henry Dover, who was just behind in sixth in 16:45, led Great Britain to the team silver. Spain earned the bronze team medals.
Christensen:
“The result was exactly what I hoped for. It was a hard race; I struggled to find my rhythm all the way. My only hope for the final lap was that Niels was tiring, and I could tell that he was struggling a bit over the final hill and that really gave me hope. Then I was slowly able to catch up in the last 100 meters, where I made my kick,” said the delighted Christensen.
Top Finishers
16:09 Axel Vang Christensen, Denmark
16:10 Niels Laros, Netherlands
16:24 Nicholas Griggs, Ireland
16:39 Karl Ottfalk, Sweden
16:43 Sam Mills, Great Britain
16:45 Henry Dover, Great Britain
16:47 Simon Jeukenne, Belgium
16:48 Ruben Leonardo, Spain
16:49 Niall Murphy, Ireland
16:50 Jonas Stafford, Ireland
16:51 Aurelien Radja, France
16:52 Francesco Ropelato, Italy
16:54 Rowan Miell-Ingram, Great Britain
16:54 Matthieu Buhrer, Switzerland
16:55 Unai Naranjo, Spain
16:55 Gaston Rohmer, France
16:56 Lukas Ehrle, Germany
16:58 Gabor Karsai, Hungary
16:59 Juan Zijderlaan, Netherlands
17:00 Alex Vives, Spain
Apocalyptic scene at start of U20 men’s race. Dutch supporters launch flare and your RG photographer recoiled and landed on his ass in the mud, but got this photo.
Axel Vang Christensen of Denmark wins U20 for the second time (he won in Dublin 2021). He wins by one second, 16:09 to 16:10, to second place Niels Laros of Netherlands.
Nicholas Griggs of Ireland had more than his share of mud, but finished third in 16:24 and Ireland won the team title.
Nicholas Griggs of Ireland was third overall in 16:24 and led Ireland to the team gold.
The would be medalists broke away from the rest of the field. Niels Laros of Netherlands, Nicholas Griggs of Ireland, and Axel Vang Christensen of Denmark race each other on the final laps.
U20 early action with Axel Vang Christensen driving the bus. Tobias Tent of Germany, Henry Dover of Great Britain, Aaron Schubert of Germany, Gaston Rohmer of France, Francesco Ropelato of Italy, Youssef Boutayeb, and Auerlien Radja of France are passengers.
Axel Vang Christensen of Denmark leads the U20 race with Niels Laros of the Netherlands and Gabor Karsai of Hungary right behind him. Youssef Boutayeb and Aurelien Radja of France are also in the mix.
Niels Laros of Netherlands, Henry Dover of Great Britain, Gabor Karsai of Hungary and Axel Vang Christensen of Denmark enjoy the front-running in the U20 race.
Karl Ottfalk of Sweden leading the chase pack finished fourth in 16:39.
The U20 Ireland team won the team gold. Jonas Stafford finished tenth and Shane Brosnan was 28th.
Sam Mills was fifth and Henry Dover was sixth, as Great Britain won the silver in the U20 team competition.
Henry Dover of Great Britain was sixth in 16:45. Simon Jeukenne of Belgium was seventh in 16:47.
Rowan Miell-Ingram of Great Britain leads a pack past enthusiastic fans in the U20 men’s race. Also in the mix are Juan Zijderlaan of Netherlands, Jonas Stafford of Ireland, Matthieu Buhrer of Switzerland, and Gabor Karsai of Hungary.
Team Espana U20 won the bronze. Ruben Leonardo (left) was eighth overall.
Andre Geada Da Silva, Lourenco Rodrigues, and Rui Mineiro of Portugal welcome European Cross Country to Lagoa, Portugal in 2025.
Federico Sammartino of Italy tries to stay on what is left of the grass in the U20 men’s race.
Aldin Catovic of Serbia was 53rd in the U20. Belgrade, Serbia welcomes the World Cross Country on March 30, 2024.
Runner's Gazette 
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