Exciting first day ahead for Team Ireland at European Athletics Championships

An exciting Irish team of over 40 athletes have begun to arrive in Rome ahead of the European Athletics Championships which take place from June 7-12.

Rome 2024 will see 1500 athletes from 48 countries battle it out over the 6-day schedule, with a strong Irish representation across each day.

Previous championship medal winners Thomas Barr (Ferrybank AC), Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn AC), and Mark English (Finn Valley AC) are all set to return to European action, while two-time world indoor finalist Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) will have sights set on making her second major championship final of the season.

Lavin is one of four Irish sprint athletes who automatically qualify for the semi-finals based on a top-12 ranking. Also advancing to their respective semi-finals will be the women’s 400m trio of Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC), Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) and Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock), all of whom are also selected in exciting 400m relays squads.

Four relay teams will take to the blocks in Rome over the coming days, with the mixed 4x400m once again looking particularly formidable with their straight final set for 9.20pm on Friday (Day 1).

Ireland also look to have a strong hand in the women’s 1500m with Sarah Healy (UCD AC) set to join Ciara Mageean on the start line, while Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) will lead the Irish charge in the men’s 1500m alongside Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club).

Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) will head the Irish challenge in the endurance events, with fellow clubmate Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock AC) returning from injury as he looks to post another big performance in the shot put.

• Event Website and full schedule: HERE
• Schedule and results: HERE
• Final Entries: HERE
• Sprint athletes qualified for semi-finals HERE
• Irish Team Selections: HERE
• Where to watch: HERE
• Irish All Time Lists: HERE

MAGEEAN TO LEAD OUT IRELAND ON DAY 1 (FRIDAY JUNE 7TH):

Leading out the charge for Ireland on Friday will be Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy in the first round of the1500m (10.45am), both coming into these championships fresh off a 1-2 in Ostrava last week, having both posted 800m PBs just a few days previous.

Both athletes will very much have eyes on Sunday’s final, with the two Irish athletes ranked inside the top six on their season’s best. Mageean and Healy are also two of only five athletes entered ever to break the four-minute mark over 1500m, with none having bettered Mageean’s 3:55.87 (Sept 2023 NR).

Mark English returns to yet another European Championships on Friday morning and his recent performance at the Diamond League Meet in Olso (1:44.95) suggests that he has timed his return to peak fitness perfectly once again. A competitive looking men’s 800m will mean another season’s best will be required to make the final, but few would bet against the seasoned championship performer should he make it through the rounds.

Two-time Olympian Michelle Finn takes on the first round of the women’s 3000m steeplechase from 12.05 on Friday, with the Leevale athlete ready to kickstart her 2024 outdoor season.

The evening session on Friday will see the return of Eric Favors in the Shot Put qualifying. Favors enjoyed another record-breaking outdoor season last year and will hope to have recovered sufficiently from an injury setback over the winter months as he looks to bring his best to Rome following a training block in Germany in recent weeks.

Israel Olatunde (Tallaght AC) will look to channel memories of that famous record-breaking night at these championships in 2022 when he takes to the blocks on Friday evening. Olatunde, who is also selected in the men’s 4x100m relay team, will take his place in the heats of the individual 100m from 8.10pm.

Ireland’s penultimate involvement on Friday will be an exciting one, with the mixed 4x400m relay team taking their place in the final alongside Belgium, Czech Republic, France, GB&NI, Netherlands, Poland, and hosts Italy (9.20pm).

Rounding out day 1 for Team Ireland will be Jodie McCann in the women’s 5000m final. McCann has been in flying form in Australia this season and will very much have sights on breaking into the top-12. The race looks stacked with several sub-15-minute athletes entered including home favourite Nadia Battocletti.

A preview and report for each day of the European Athletics Championships will follow.

Irish Athlete Schedule (times listed in Irish time with Italian local time in brackets):

Day One – Friday June 7th

Morning Session

• Ciara Mageean – Women’s 1500m – Round One - 10:45 (11:45)
• Sarah Healy – Women’s 1500m – Round One – 10:45 (11:45)
• Mark English – Men’s 800m – Round One – 11:20 (12:20)
• Michelle Finn – Women’s 3000m Steeplechase – Round One – 12:05 (13:05)

Evening Session

• Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put – Qualification - 18:55 (19:55)
• Israel Olatunde – Men’s 100m – Round One - 20:10 (21:10)
• Mixed 4x400m Relay – Final – 21:20 (22:20)
• Jodie McCann – Women’s 5000m – Final – 21:40 (22:40)

Day Two – Saturday June 8th

Morning Session

• Christopher O’Donnell – Men’s 400m – Round One – 10:45 (11:45)

Evening Session

• Oisin Lane – Men’s 20km Race Walk – Final – 17:00 (18:00)
• Mark English – Men’s 800m – SF – 18:50 (19:50) *
• Sarah Lavin – Women’s 100m Hurdles – SF – 19:12 (20:12)
• Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put – Final – 20:02 (21:02) *
• Israel Olatunde – Men’s 100m – SF – 20:10 (21:10) *
• Sarah Lavin – Women’s 100m Hurdles – Final – 21:08 (22:08) *
• Brian Fay – Men’s 5000m – Final – 21:28 (22:28)
• Israel Olatunde – Men’s 100m – Final – 21:53 (22:53) *

Day Three – Sunday June 9th

Morning Session

• Ryan Creech – Men’s Half Marathon – Final – 08:00 (09:00)
• Hiko Tonosa – Men’s Half Marathon – Final – 08:00 (09:00)
• Shona Heaslip – Women’s Half Marathon – Final – 08:30 (09:30)
• Emily Haggard Kearney – Women’s Half Marathon – Final – 08:30 (09:30)
• Nicola Tuthill – Women’s Hammer Throw – Qualification Group A – 09:05 (10:05) OR Qualification Group B – 10:30 (11:30)
• Mark Smyth – Men’s 200m – Round One – 10:50 (11:50)
• Kelly McGrory – Women’s 400m Hurdles – Round One – 11:40 (12:40)
• Thomas Barr – Men’s 400m Hurdles – Round One – 12:20 (13:20)

Evening Session

• Rhasidat Adeleke – Women’s 400m – SF – 19:05 (20:05)
• Sharlene Mawdsley – Women’s 400m – SF – 19:05 (20:05)
• Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m – SF – 19:05 (20:05)
• Christopher O’Donnell – Men’s 400m – SF – 19:38 (20:38) *
• Mark Smyth – Men’s 200m – SF – 20:35 (21:35) *
• Michelle Finn – Women’s 3000m Steeplechase – Final – 21:05 (22:05) *
• Mark English – Men’s 800m – Final – 21:27 (22:27) *
• Ciara Mageean – Women’s 1500m – Final – 21:36 (22:36) *
• Sarah Healy – Women’s 1500m – Final – 21:36 (22:36) *

Day Four – Monday June 10th

Morning Session

• Phil Healy – Women’s 200m – Round One – 09:35 (10:35)
• Andrew Coscoran – Men’s 1500m – Round One – 10:20 (11:20)
• Nick Griggs – Men’s 1500m – Round One – 10:20 (11:20)
• Louise Shanahan – Women’s 800m – Round One – 10:50 (11:50)
• Thomas Barr – Men’s 400m Hurdles – SF – 11:40 (12:40) *
• Kelly McGrory – Women’s 400m Hurdles – SF – 12:15 (13:15) *

Evening Session

• Phil Healy – Women’s 200m – SF – 20:05 (21:05) *
• Nicola Tuthill – Women’s Hammer Throw – Final – 20:33 (21:33) *
• Christopher O’Donnell – Men’s 400m – Final – 20:40 (21:40) *
• Rhasidat Adeleke – Women’s 400m – Final – 20:50 (21:50) *
• Sharlene Mawdsley – Women’s 400m – Final – 20:50 (21:50) *
• Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m – Final – 20:50 (21:50) *
• Mark Smyth – Men’s 200m – Final – 21:50 (22:50) *

Day Five – Tuesday June 11th

Morning Session

• Louise Shanahan – Women’s 800m – SF – 09:10 (10:10) *
• Men’s 4x400m Relay – Round One – 09:45 (10:45)
• Women’s 4x400m Relay – Round One – 10:15 (11:15)
• Men’s 4x100m Relay – Round One – 11:00 (12:00)

Evening Session

• Thomas Barr – Men’s 400m Hurdles – Final – 20:05 (21:05) *
• Kelly McGrory – Women’s 400m Hurdles – Final – 20:18 (21:18) *
• Anika Thompson – Women’s 10,000m – Final – 20:30 (21:30)
• Laura Mooney – Women’s 10,000m – Final – 20:30 (21:30)
• Phil Healy – Women’s 200m – Final – 21:53 (22:53) *

Day Six – Wednesday June 12th

Evening Session

• Brian Fay – Men’s 10,000m – B Race – 19:12 (20:12) **
• Efrem Gidey – Men’s 10,000m – B Race – 19:12 (20:12) **
• Peter Lynch – Men’s 10,000m – B Race – 19:12 (20:12) **
• Cormac Dalton – Men’s 10,000m – B Race – 19:12 (20:12) **
• Barry Keane – Men’s 10,000m – B Race – 19:12 (20:12) **
• Women’s 4x400m Relay – Final – 20:06 (21:06) *
• Men’s 4x400m Relay – Final – 20:19 (21:19) *
• Louise Shanahan – Women’s 800m – Final – 20:31 (21:31) *
• Brian Fay – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 20:44 (21:44) **
• Efrem Gidey – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 20:44 (21:44) **
• Peter Lynch – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 20:44 (21:44) **
• Cormac Dalton – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 20:44 (21:44) **
• Barry Keane – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 20:44 (21:44) **
• Andrew Coscoran – Men’s 1500m – Final – 21:26 (22:26) *
• Nick Griggs – Men’s 1500m – Final – 21:26 (22:26) *
• Men’s 4x100m Relay – Final – 21:50 (22:50) *

*Subject to Advancing

**Seeding TBC at later date