{{Short description|Irish athlete}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Fiona Everard | birth_name = | image = | caption = | nationality = Ireland | sport = Athletics | event = Cross-country, Long-distance running | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|11|30|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = | pb = '''1500m:''' 4:26.05 (Dublin, 2025)<br>'''3000m:''' 9:09.05 (Cork, 2025)<br>'''5000m:''' 15:49.79 (Brussels, 2025)<br>'''10000m:''' 32:41.28 (La Spezia, 2026) | medaltemplates= {{MedalSport|Women's athletics}} {{Medal|Country|{{Flagu|Ireland}}}} {{MedalCompetition|European 10,000m Cup}} {{Medal|Silver|2026 La Spezia|Team race}} }} '''Fiona Everard''' (born 30 September 1998) is an Irish cross country and long-distance runner. In 2023 and 2025 she won the Irish national cross country championship. In 2026, she won the silver medal with the Ireland women's team at the European 10,000m Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ireland/fiona-everard-14589087|website=World Athletics|title=Fiona Everard|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref>
==Biography== From Enniskeane in County Cork,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southernstar.ie/sport/im-still-trying-to-let-it-sink-in-im-so-thrilled-with-the-win-says-everard-after-racing-to-national-cross-country-glory-4277559|website=Southern Star|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= 'I'm still trying to let it sink in, I'm so thrilled with the win', says Everard after racing to national cross-country glory|first=Kieran|last=McCarthy|date=19 November 2023}}</ref> Everard is a member of Cork-based running club Bandon AC, having joined the club at the age of seven years-old.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/othersport/arid-41272879.html|website=Irish Examiner|title= Cross Country Championships: Bandon's Fiona Everard claims first senior title|date=19 November 2023|first=Cathal|last=Dennehy|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41778071.html|website=Echolive|accessdate=21 Jan 2026|title= Cork Women in Sport winner Fiona Everard on right track to more success|date=20 Jan 2026}}</ref>
In December 2022, she won the National Novice Cross-Country Championship, held in Conna.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southernstar.ie/sport/enniskeane-athlete-everard-steps-up-her-comeback-with-glorious-gold-in-novice-cross-country-4254023|website=Southernstar.ie|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= Enniskeane athlete Everard steps up her comeback with glorious gold in novice cross-country|first=John|last=Walshe|date=14 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41273032.html|website=echolive.ie|title= Bandon's Fiona Everard delivers All-Ireland title|first=John|last=Cashman|date=19 November 2023|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref> Everard had not long started to receive the input of her coach Matt Lockett, with whom she began working in October 2022, and who she has since said helped her overcome a succession of bone injuries and stress fractures.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2023/1120/1417435-shocked-everard-revels-in-first-senior-title/|website=RTE.ie|title= 'Shocked' Fiona Everard revels in first senior title after win at National Cross Country Championships|accessdate=21 November 2023|date=20 November 2023}}</ref> In late 2022, she also finished in the top 10 at the 2022 National Senior Cross Country Championships held in Donegal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corkcitysports.ie/athlete-of-the-month-april-8/|website=Corkcitysports.ie|accessdate=21 October 2023|title= Athlete of the Month – April}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.c103.ie/news/c103-news-and-sport/cork-city-sports-athlete-of-the-month-award-for-april-is-presented/|website=C103.ie|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= Cork City Sports Athlete of the Month award for April is presented|date=24 May 2023}}</ref>
In February 2023, she made her debut competing internationally for Ireland. She finished 14th at the Cross Cup de Hannut in Belgium, finishing one place and one second behind leading Irish woman on the day Fionnuala Ross.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southernstar.ie/sport/impressive-14th-for-fiona-everard-on-her-irish-debut-4256851|website=Southern Star|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= Impressive 14th for Fiona Everard on her Irish debut|first=John|last=Walshe|date=2 February 2023}}</ref> Representing the University of Galway, she won the IUAA cross-country event in Limerick in March 2023. The following month she won the Irish Universities Championship over 5000m in Dublin, in what was in only her second-ever 5000m on the track. She was subsequently named Cork City Sports Athlete of the month for April.<ref>{{cite web|title= Fiona Everard is the Cork City Sports Athlete of the month for April|accessdate=21 November 2023|url=https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41152486.html|date=1 June 2023}}</ref>
In October 2023, she finished runner-up to Lizzie Lee at the Cork County cross-country championships in Macroom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fastrunning.com/running-athletics-news/ireland/irish-round-up-4/36472|website=Fast Running|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= An international Ecotrail with local weather – Irish round-up|first=Lindie|last=Naughton|date=October 2, 2023}}</ref> Everard won the 2023 Irish National Cross Country Championships in Gowran, Kilkenny in November 2023. She finished 37 seconds clear of the field, in a race competed in extreme muddy conditions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/athletics/cormac-dalton-and-fiona-everard-prevail-in-absolutely-brutal-conditions-at-national-cross-country-championships/a1542535198.html?|website=Independent.ie|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= Cormac Dalton and Fiona Everard prevail in 'absolutely brutal' conditions at National Cross Country Championships|first=Cathal|last=Dennehy|date=20 November 2023}}</ref> Everard credited her experience of conditions training in Bandon which have helped her to favour muddy and hilly courses.<ref>{{cite web|first=Grace|last=Fisher|date=19 November 2023|accessdate=21 November 2023|title= Fiona Everard Wins National Senior Cross Country Title |website=Hersport.ie|url=https://www.hersport.ie/athletics/fiona-everard-wins-national-senior-cross-country-title-50363}}</ref> The win secured her a place on the Irish team for the 2023 European Cross Country Championships scheduled for December 10, 2023 in Brussels, in which she finished 34th overall.<ref>{{cite web|website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=11 March 2024|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/4915/results-senior-women-9000m-european-cross-country-championships-2023|title=European Cross Country Championships 2023 senior women's 9000m results|date=December 10, 2024}}</ref> In March 2024, she was selected for the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Serbia.<ref>{{cite web|website=Independent.ie|accessdate=11 March 2024|date=11 March 2024|title=Ireland name team of eight for World Cross Country Championships|first=Cathal|last=Dennehy|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/athletics/ireland-name-team-of-eight-for-world-cross-country-championships/a2113757598.html}}</ref>
In May 2025, she ran 9:13.38 for the 3000 metres at the Belfast Milers event in Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|website=BBC Sport|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/ce3vzvlyy3wo|access-date=10 May 2025|title= DeBues-Stafford stars at Belfast Irish Milers Meet|first=Nigel|last=Ringland}}</ref> Later that month, Ave ran a 15:49.79 personal best for the 5000 metres at the IFAM outdoor meet in Brussels, Belgium.<ref>{{cite web|title= Fiona Everard and Darragh McElhinney run fast times in Belgium|date=1 June 2025|url=https://www.southernstar.ie/sport/fiona-everard-and-darragh-mcelhinney-run-fast-times-in-belgium-4330311#google_vignette |accessdate=23 November 2025 |website=Southern Star}}</ref> In October, she won the Autumn Open International Cross Country Festival, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Bronze meeting, in Dublin.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.european-athletics.com/home/news/morgan-and-everard-triumph-at-autumn-open-international-in-dublin |website=European Athletics|accessdate=23 November 2025|title= Morgan and Everard triumph at Autumn Open International in Dublin|first=Chris |last=Broadbent|date=19 October 2025}}</ref> She won the Irish National Cross Country Championships held in Derry on 23 November 2025. With the win, she secured automatic selection for a third successive European Cross Country Championships appearance, where she placed tenth in Lagoa, Portugal, in the senior women's race.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.athleticsireland.ie/kilrehill-and-mcglynn-storm-to-senior-titles-at-national-cross-country-championships-2/|website=Athletics Ireland|accessdate=23 November 2025|title= Fay and Everard Reign Supreme in Derry at National cross County Championships|date= 23 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.european-athletics.com/home/competitions/spar-european-cross-country-championships/competition-news/battocletti-eases-to-back-to-back-senior-women-s-title-in-lagoa-2025 |website=European Athletics|accessdate=15 December 2025|title= Battocletti eases to back-to-back senior women’s title in Lagoa 2025|first= Steven |last=Mills|date=14 December 2025}}</ref> Everard was subsequently selected for the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, where she placed 22nd overall.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/athletics/2025/12/17/four-athletes-to-represent-ireland-at-next-months-world-cross-country-championships/ |title=Four athletes to represent Ireland at next month's World Cross-Country Championships|first=Ian|last=O'Riordan|date=17 December 2025|accessdate=17 December 2025|website=Irish Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=RTE|accessdate=10 January 2026|url= https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2026/0110/1552448-fay-16th-in-world-cross-country-irish-pair-make-top-25/|title= Brian Fay 16th in World Cross Country Championships, Irish women inside top-25|date= 10 January 2026}}</ref> In May 2026, she ran as part of the Ireland team as they won the silver medal in the team event at the European 10,000m Cup in La Spezia, Italy, running a personal best of 32:41.28 for a top-ten finish in the individual race.<ref>{{cite web|website=Echo Live|accessdate=23 May 2026|url= https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41850324.html|date= 23 May 2026|title=Cork duo Niamh Allen and Fiona Everard power Ireland to European silver medal}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 2022, Everard began studying for a master's degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Galway.<ref>{{cite web|website=Irish Times|accessdate=21 November 2023|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/athletics/2023/11/20/the-startling-running-progress-of-fiona-everard/|title=The Startling running progress of Fiona Everard|date=20 November 2023}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Everard, Fiona}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Irish women middle-distance runners Category:Irish women long-distance runners Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Athletes from County Cork Category:Athletes from the Republic of Ireland Category:Alumni of the University of Galway Category:21st-century Irish sportswomen