Nick Griggs produced a hugely impressive finish to win a silver medal in the men’s under-23 race at the European Cross Country Championships in Turkey.

Team Ireland’s Griggs, who earned bronze in last year’s under-20 race, made a late surge to secure second but was narrowly denied gold by Great Britain’s Will Barnicoat, who successfully defended his title.

It is a third straight European Cross Country gold medal for Barnicoat, who dramatically pipped Griggs to victory in the under-20 contest in Turin in 2022 before claiming U23 gold in Brussels last year.

But while Griggs stumbled late in Italy two years ago, he defied fatigue in a stirring finish in Antalya on Sunday morning to clock 18:28.

The Tyrone athlete, 19, defied fatigue over the closing stages to deny Great Britain’s David Stone (18:31) silver and finish just behind Barnicoat (18:27).