Rhasidat Adeleke has opted for one lap of the Stadio Olimpico in her quest to strike a European Championship gold medal. Spearheading an exciting challenge in the women’s 400 metres, she is among the large team of 53 Irish athletes set for the championships in Rome early next month.
Also qualified in the 200m, Adeleke has decided on her now specialist event, the 21-year-old Dublin sprinter keen to lay down some marker it seems for the Paris Olympics, which follow just over six weeks later.
Joining her in Rome, the championships set for June 7th-12th, are in-form pair Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker, with all three also selected in exciting 400m relay squads.
They are among the 37 athletes with A standards and the qualified relay teams, along with the 16 who have qualified via ranking position (and having achieved a B standard) will be confirmed after European Athletics produces its final list of qualifiers on Wednesday.
Previous championship medal winners Thomas Barr (400m hurdles), Ciara Mageean (1,500m), and Mark English (800m) are all set to return to European action, while two-time world indoor finalist Sarah Lavin (100m hurdles) will have sights set on making her second major championship final of the season.
The Irish relay teams have enjoyed notable success in global competition over the past 12 months, capped off most recently with the mixed 4x400m team claiming a brilliant bronze at the World Relays in the Bahamas. Four relay teams have been selected with the mixed 4x400m.
In the women’s 1500m, Sarah Healy will join Mageean in Rome, Mageean winning in Ostrava on Tuesday evening in 4:01.98, Healy second in 4:02.12, while Andrew Coscoran will lead the Irish charge in the men’s 1500m alongside Nick Griggs and Luck McCann, who ran a best of 3:34.32 in Ostrava.
Brian Fay will head the Irish challenge in the endurance events, with fellow Raheny clubmate Eric Favors returning from injury as he looks to post another big performance in the shot put. There are no marathons in the 2024 event, instead a half-marathon distance.
Irish team, European Athletics Championships, Rome, June 7th-12th
Rhasidat Adeleke – 400m, Mx 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m
Ciara Mageean – 1500m
Sarah Lavin – 100mH
Andrew Coscoran – 1500m
Sarah Healy – 1500m
Brian Fay – 5000m & 10,000m
Sharlene Mawdsley – 400m, Mx 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m
Eric Favors – Shot
Efrem Gidey – 10,000m
Sophie Becker – 400m, Mx 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m
Mark English – 800m
Thomas Barr – 400mH, Mx 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m
Michelle Finn – 3000mSC
Peter Lynch – 10,000m
Luke McCann – 1500m
Cormac Dalton – 10,000m
Barry Keane – 10,000m
Nick Griggs – 1500m
Anika Thompson – 10,000m
Phil Healy – Women’s 4x400m, Mx 4x400m Reserve
Israel Olatunde – Men’s 4x100m
Mark Smyth – Men’s 4x100m
Toluwabori Akinola – Men’s 4x100m
Marcus Lawler – Men’s 4x100m
Colin Doyle – Men’s 4x100m
Paul Costelloe – Men’s 4x100m
Joseph Ojewumi – Men’s 4x100m 1st Reserve
Christopher Sibanda – Men’s 4x100m 2nd Reserve
Chris O’Donnell – Mx 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m
Jack Raftery – Mx 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m
Callum Baird – Men’s 4x400m, Mx 4x400m Reserve
Cillín Greene – Men’s 4x400m
Sean Doggett – Men’s 4x400m
Joe Doody – Men’s 4x400m
Kelly McGrory – Women’s 4x400m
Lauren Cadden – Women’s 4x400m
Cliodhna Manning – Women’s 4x400m Reserve
Provisional Selections (pending confirmation from European Athletics):
Ryan Creech – Half Marathon
Israel Olatunde – 100m
Mark Smyth – 200m
Shona Heaslip – Half Marathon
Louise Shanahan – 800m
Nicola Tuthill – Hammer
Hiko Tonosa – Half Marathon
Oisin Lane – 20km Walk
Roisin Flanagan – 5000m
Emily Kearney – Half Marathon
Finley Daley – 3000mSC
Elizabeth Ndudi – Long jump
Cian McPhillips – 800m
Jodie McCann – 5000m
Joe Mooney – 20km Walk
Cillian Kirwan – 800m
Phil Healy – 200m
Laura Mooney – 10,000m
Jack Raftery – 400m
Jenna Bromell – 800m
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