Lagoa, Portugal 14 Dec 2025
Source: https://lagoa2025.com/ https://www.fla.lu/
The 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships were held in Portugal for the fourth time in Lagoa on 14 December.
Italy’s Nadia Battocletti ran out a triumphant winner of the senior women’s title for the second edition in a row while Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo stunned world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier in the senior men’s race, leading the Spaniards to team gold as well.
And there was also a medal for the hosts with world 1500m champion Isaac Nader anchoring Portugal to silver in the mixed relay behind Italy who retained their title.
European Cross Country Championships: Ruben Querinjean confirms his status at the highest European level
The Luxembourg delegation competed this weekend in the European Cross Country Championships, a prestigious competition bringing together the best European specialists on a demanding and highly selective course. Faced with stiff competition, the Luxembourg athletes showed commitment and determination.
In the senior category, the standout performance came from Ruben Querinjean, who finished in a remarkable 7th place in 22:28. This result confirms that the Luxembourg athlete is now firmly among the European elite, especially as he was only five seconds away from third place on the podium. The race was won by Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo in 22:05, in an event that was run at a very fast pace from the very first kilometers.
Niall Foley also delivered a solid performance, crossing the finish line in 25:18 for 72nd place. His result is one of Luxembourg’s best performances in senior cross-country in recent years, despite difficult personal circumstances. The athlete was hampered by tooth inflammation and was competing while on antibiotics, which makes his performance all the more commendable.
In the U20 category, Pol Stoffel and Damien Pechon defended Luxembourg’s colors with determination.
Pol Stoffel finished in 14:22 in 72nd place.
