Alistair Cragg
 Alistair Ian Cragg |
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| Medal record | ||
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| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  Ireland
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| European Indoor Championships | ||
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2005 Madrid | 3000 m |
Alistair Ian Cragg (born 13 June 1980, Johannesburg) is an international track and field athlete.
Born and brought up in South Africa, he has since lived in England and United States where he attended the University of Arkansas. He races for Ireland and competes most often over 3000 metres and 5000 metres. He holds the Irish national records in both the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres. He holds the European road running record in the 5 km in 13:26, set in Carlsbad, California. In fall 2014, Alistair married Olympian Amy Hastings.
Cragg's father was a coach in South Africa and now lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas with his wife. Alistair's older brother, Duncan, went to Southern Methodist University from 1994-99. Alistair followed him there in 1999. His first cross country season there, he was injured and finished the season poorly at the regional meet in Denton, Texas. Arkansas coach John McDonnell saw him after the race and said something about how he should not run if he was injured. The next spring, Alistair was the top freshman finisher in the 5000 m at the NCAA Championship meet, smashing SMU freshman records in that event.
The following fall, one of Cragg's brothers died and Alistair dropped out of SMU. After taking a year off, SMU had given away his scholarship and Alistair needed a new home. McDonnell made room for him on the Arkansas roster. Alistair had an outstanding college career with the Arkansas Razorbacks with McDonnell, winning individual NCAA titles at 3,000 m, 5,000 m and 10,000 m on the track, as well as indoor titles. In 2004, he was voted Southeastern Conference athlete of the year, and the Track and Field News magazine Collegiate Athlete of the Year.
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