Hugo Milner's Near Miss for a Medal at European Cross Country Championships

Hugo Milner, a rapidly-emerging triathlon star, missed out on a medal in the senior men’s race at the European Cross Country Championships in Brussels on Sunday. The 25-year-old had qualified for the Championships with a clear-cut victory at the Liverpool Cross Challenge in late November but had a near-disastrous start in old-school muddy conditions. However, he barely put a foot wrong after that initial setback.

He drove the pace at the front with eventual winner Yann Schrub of France for the first three quarters of the 9km event. Milner, who switched to triathlon just a couple of years ago and notched a breakthrough success when running to victory in the World Triathlon Cup Miyazaki in Japan last month, was in great form.

Hugo Milner World Triathlon Cup Miyazaki 2023

Norway’s Magnus Tuv Myrhe and home hope Robin Hendrix then bridged up to Milner and relegated him to fourth but he fought back in great style and the three of them settled down to fight for silver and bronze. Unfortunately, for Milner, he was the one to miss out but it was a fine performance and a massive improvement on last year’s 32nd place.

It was a memorable day for Great Britain and Northern Ireland who ended with seven gold medals, their best ever tally at the Championships. Now, Milner is turning his attention back to triathlon, with a training camp in Australia coming next. Going into 2024, he aims to secure a spot alongside already-qualified Alex Yee on the Team GB squad for the Paris Olympics.

Written by

Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories, and providing unrivaled coverage for endurance sports.