2016 European Cross Country Championships reached the podium in all categories. The 2016 edition saw increased Kenyan dominance at the competition, with the top two runners in both senior races being Kenyan-born, as well as the men's under-23 winner. 2016 European Cross Country Championships The 2016 European Cross Country Championships was the 23rd edition of the cross country running competition for European athletes. It was hosted in Chia, Italy. Aras Kaya won the men's senior title, making it three straight victories for Turkey in that event, following in the footsteps of fellow Kenyan-Turkish runners Polat Kemboi Arıkan and Ali Kaya. Yasemin Can, became Turkey's first
2009 European Cross Country Championships had hosted the World Cross Country Championships in 1979 and 2002, but this was the first time that Ireland had ever hosted a major European athletics competition. The course was situated in Santry Demense Park adjacent the national track and field stadium, Morton Stadium, which is the home stadium for Clonliffe Harriers – the oldest athletics club in Ireland. The course's looped design allowed for races of varying lengths through the use of laps. The four race lengths were: for the senior men's race, for the senior women's and men's under-23 competitions, for the under-23 women and junior men, and