Solent student set to compete in the 2021 Euro Cross Country Championships

Zakariya Mahamed has been selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the European Cross Country Championships in Fingal-Dublin, Ireland this Sunday 12 December.

Following in the footsteps of his older brother and former Solent University alumni, British long-distance runner, Mahamed Mahamed, Zak is currently in his second year, studying Sports Foundation at Solent University, Southampton, he is part of the University’s High Performance Academy, a programme dedicated to supporting talented athletes throughout their time at university.

Image: Zakariya Mahamed

Ahead of the championships, Zak says: “My goal is to finish University and continue with athletics, looking at working towards the Paris 2024 Olympics. The High Performance Academy plays a big part in my running, they are great at supporting me.”

The European Cross-Country Championships will be broadcast on the BBC Red Button and BBC iPlayer between 10:00-15:00 on Sunday 12 December.