Rome 2024: Day 5 Evening Session

THOMPSON AND MOONEY GRIT IT OUT IN 10,000M FINAL

Anika Thompson and Laura Mooney produced two of the grittiest Irish performances of the week at the European Championships in Rome this evening, with both athletes leaving it all out on the track in a stacked women’s 10,000m final.

Both Thompson and Mooney, who are still U23, found themselves in the second of the chasing packs over the opening 5,000m, before and injection of pace saw the Irish pair drift back through the field.

Thompson would battle on bravely to cross in 20th place in 33:19.42, with Mooney crossing in 26th place in 34:03.94.

The medals went the way of Nadia Battocletti ITA (30:51.32 NR), Diane Van Es NED (30:57.24), and Megan Keith (31:04.77).

Results Summary:

• Anika Thompson – Women’s 10,000m – Final – 33:19.42 (20th)
• Laura Mooney – Women’s 10,000m – Final – 34:03.94 (26th)
• Full results list: HERE

TEAM IRELAND READY TO SIGN OF ROME 2024 WITH A BANG (WEDNESDAY JUNE 12TH):

The final day of these historic championships will fittingly see an Irish relay team once again take to the line in search of Rome relay success (8.05pm).

The women’s 4x400m team of Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Lauren Cadden, and Sharlene Mawdsley posted the fastest time in qualifying for tomorrow’s final with a 3:24.81 in this morning’s opening round. Tomorrow’s team selection, which will be issued tomorrow afternoon, will depend much on how team-members have recovered from a busy schedule of championship racing over the last five days.

The team will take their place in the final alongside the other powerhouses of European athletics, including Spain, Germany, Poland, Belgium, France, Netherlands, and hosts Italy.

FIVE Irish athletes will go in the men’s 10,000m A final at 8.44pm, highlighting the depth in Irish endurance at present.

Three of the six fastest Irish athletes of all time are set to take their place, including Efrem Gidey (2nd all time), Brian Fay (3rd all time), and Peter Lynch (6th all time), while Cormac Dalton and Barry Keane won’t fear any of their Irish counterparts when taking to the line.

Gidey boasts the best time this season having posted a 27:40.02 in Londan back in May, a reproduction of which will likely see him challenging for a top ten finish.

Brian Fay returns to the Stadio Olimpico following his fast finishing 5,000m earlier in the week, and if that performance hasn’t taken too much out of the Raheny athlete, he too could be challenging for those top ten placings alongside fellow teammates Lynch, Dalton, and Keane.

Rounding out Irish involvement at these championships will be Andrew Coscoran in the blue ribbon 1500m final at 9.26pm.

Coscoran looked comfortable in the heats, posting 3:38.52 and doing only as much as required. The Irish record-holder is ranked to be in the shake up for the top-six places, but much will come down to championship tactics in a race which will likely be dictated by the presence of Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

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

Day Six – Wednesday June 12th

Evening Session

• Women’s 4x400m Relay – Final – 20:06 (21:06)
• 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)