Luke Micallef and Gabriel Farrugia have taken off on their journey to Antalya, Turkey, where they will compete in the European Cross-Country Championships on Sunday 8th December. This event is the most significant cross-country race on the European calendar, attracting the continent’s top long-distance runners.

This year’s championships will be held in Dokuma Park, located in the northern part of Antalya, featuring a challenging course that includes sections of sand and mud.

Both athletes have had a successful year so far. Luke, who won the first two races of the Road Running League this season, returns from a strong performance at last year's event. He will compete in the Seniors race, covering a distance of 7,834 metres. Gabriel, fresh from his victory at the third race in Safi and a new Under 23 national 5k record, will race in the U23 category over a distance of 6,324 metres.

Best of luck to the two athletes!