– An absolutely crazy race. She could have started the celebration a long time ago. What an off-road legend. Happy Birthday. That’s what news’s commentator Andreas Stabrun Smith exclaimed when Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal ran first across the finish line after nine kilometers in heavy terrain in Brussels. Grøvdal has proven to be a medal guarantee during the EC cross-country race and on Sunday she was superior once again. She won her first medal in EC cross-country running already as a 16-year-old, when she ran to silver in the junior class in 2006. Three years later she won the junior class, and after bronze in the senior class in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and silver in 2019, she has gone all the way to the top in the last three years. – It was very nice. I wanted to take the third gold here. I was excited, but it felt like I never budged, just got a wee. I’m very happy I got the chance, says Grøvdal to news. Grøvdal is the first woman with a double-digit number of medals in the championship across all age groups. Ukrainian Serhij Lebed has the most with twelve on the men’s side. – It’s a bit frightening. There were special circumstances around Sunday’s championship. The terrorist attack that hit Swedish football supporters in mid-October led to an increase in preparedness in Belgium. The Belgian Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis upgraded the threat level for all of Belgium after the attack. On a scale of one to four, it went from moderate (2) to severe (3). In Brussels it was estimated to be very severe (4) while the attack was ongoing. – The Swedes are not allowed to wear their national team clothes outside the pitch. It’s a bit frightening, says Thea Charlotte Knutsen to news. Thea Charlotte Knutsen was surprised by the increased security on the way to the stadium. She impressed in the women’s U-20 race as the best Norwegian woman with 10th place. Knutsen herself has not received information about the increased security, and she emphasizes that she and her teammates feel safe. One of the security measures is a police escort for the athletes. – It looked a bit special to arrive at the stadium with a police escort. They stop cars and it’s a full plan, says Knutsen. – There is very good security. We hear sirens all the time. There is a police escort and we run red lights and such, so I feel very well looked after. We are safe, says Ina Halle Haugen. She was the best Norwegian in 12th place for U-23 women. – Safety during the EC is the first priority The European Athletics Federation (EA) emphasizes that the safety of all participants during the EC is the first priority. Communications Manager Biljana Danicic states that there will be elements of both visible and plainclothes police. “The authorities and police forces have very specific security measures. We cannot share information about specific details related to the security protocol for the event. The information is confidential and is processed by the authorities,” writes Danicic in an e-mail to news. The police in place outside the arena before Sunday’s race in Brussels. The police in place outside the arena before Sunday’s race in Brussels. The police in place outside the arena before Sunday’s race in Brussels. The Norwegian athletes on their way into the arena before their race on Sunday. The Norwegian athletes on their way into the arena before their race on Sunday. At the same time, she states that the police escort is a way to get through traffic faster. The trip to Laeken park takes just under 15 minutes for the athletes. The local organizers have had a close dialogue with the authorities and the police during the planning phase. Nordmann in fourth place after a training camp with Ingebrigtsen EC was characterized by very difficult conditions for the athletes. After large amounts of rain throughout the week, the route was both wet and muddy. It presented challenges for some. Greek Emmanouil-Georgios Sgouros went to the front during the men’s U-20 race. Helle Haugen was surprised by how tough the conditions were. – It was a lot of fun, but incredibly heavy. I wasn’t prepared for how deep the mud was going to be, she says to news. Some coped better than others. Among them was Norwegian Moa Abounnachat Bollerød. He sprinted into fourth place during Sunday’s U-23 race. – It was impressive. It’s always fun with some surprises, says news’s commentator Andreas Stabrun Smith about Bollerød’s fourth place. – It was sick actually. I didn’t expect this. I have trained well this autumn and attended a training camp with Henrik Ingebrigtsen, among other things. It has worked well, says Bollerød himself to news. Moa Abounnachat Bollerød impressed during Sunday’s race in Brussels. He woke up last night with a fever. – I was really stressed that this couldn’t work. I called my coach and said that I might not be able to run, but when I got going and my body was full of adrenaline, it went well. At the same time, it helps to be sick in the head, says Bollerød.
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Increased security after Brussels terror – the athletes are escorted to the EC by the police – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
