Rio-bound athletes Thomas Barr and Ciara Mageean are part of a record 52-strong Irish team announced for next month’s European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam, set for July 6-10th.

Barr got his season back on track in winning the national 400m hurdles title in Santry on Sunday, and is certainly a potential finalist in Amsterdam if he can return to his best form following an injury lay-off.

“I improved a lot over the weekend and I need to races to get back to my best,” says Barr, who made the semi-final at the 2014 Europeans in Zurich. “I’ll be looking to step up another level at the Europeans.”

Likewise with Mageean, who will be using the European Championships as part of her final preparations for the Rio Olympics, where she has qualified over 1,500m.

Mark English, a bronze medallist over 800m from those 2014 Championships in Zurich, has decided to skip Amsterdam, focusing instead on a more select schedule of races in his preparations for Rio.

Fionnuala McCormack, also Rio bound in the Olympic marathon, will run the 10,000m, where she finished fourth in 2012 in Helsinki: other Rio-bound athletes taking in the Amsterdam half-marathon event are Paul Pollock, Mick Clohisey, Kevin Seaward and Breege Connolly, who will run the full marathon distance in Rio.

Also included are the three Rio qualifiers in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase - Michelle Finn (Leevale) Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle), and Sara Treacy (Dunboyne).

The team is boosted by the inclusion of a full quota of relay teams: “It’s the first time in our history to have full relay teams at the championships and we’ve been working hard to develop a relay culture,” says Kevin Ankrom, high performance director.

The men’s 4x400m relay team includes two-time European indoor 400m champion David Gillick (DSD), who came out of retirement to finish third at the National Championships, won by Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) The men’s 4x400m finished fifth at the Europeans in 2014.

There’s a healthy mix of youth and experience, emerging juniors Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD) in the 800m and Marcus Lawler (SLOT) in the 200m alongside the return of seasoned campaigners such as Mary Cullen (North Sligo) in the 5,000m, who won a European indoor bronze medal over 3,000m in 2009.

Ireland Team, European Athletics Championships, Amsterdam, July 6-10th

Amy Foster (City of Lisburn) 100m

Marcus Lawler (St Laurence O’Toole) 200m

Claire Mooney (Naas) 400m

Sinead Denny (DSD) 400m

Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) 400m

Craig Lynch (Shercock) 400m

David Gillick (DSD) 400m

Richard Morrissey (Crusaders) 400m

Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD) 800m

Karl Griffin (UCD) 800m

Declan Murray (Clonliffe Harriers) 800m

Ciara Mageean (UCD) 1500m

Claire Tarplee (St Coca’s) 1500m

Eoin Everard (Kilkenny City Harriers) 1500m

Kevin Batt (DSD) 5,000m

Mary Cullen (North Sligo) 5,000m

Deirdre Byrne (Sli Cualann) 5,000m

Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) 10,000m

Tara Jameson (Sli Cualann) 10,000m

Michelle Finn (Leevale) 3,000m steeplechase

Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) 3,000m steeplechase

Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) 3,000m steeplechase

Tomas Cotter (Dunleer) 3,000m steeplechase

Ben Reynolds (North Down) 110m Hurdles

Christine McMahon (Ballymena & Antrim) 400m Hurdles

Paul Byrne (St Abban’s) 400m Hurdles

Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) 400m Hurdles

Barry Pender (St Abban’s) High Jump

Tori Pena (Finn Valley) Pole Vault

Women’s 4x100m relay: Catherine McManus (DCH), Joan Healy (Bandon), Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank), Phil Healy (Bandon), Sarah Murray (Fingallians)

Men’s 4x100m relay: Craig Lynch (Shercock), Eanna Madden (Carrick on Shannon), Jason Smyth (City of Derry), Jonathan Browning (Ballymena & Antrim), Joseph Owejumi (Tallaght), Marcus Lawler (SLOT)

Women’s 4x400m relay: Christine McMahon (Ballymena & Antrim), Ciara McCallion (Clonliffe Harriers), Claire Mooney (Naas), Jenna Bromell (Emerald), Phil Healy (Bandon), Sinead Denny (DSD)

Men’s 4x400m relay: Thomas Barr (Ferrybank), Andrew Mellon (North Down, Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers), Craig Lynch (Shercock), David Gillick (DSD), Richard Morrissey (Crusaders)

Women’s Half Marathon:

Breege Connolly (North Belfast Harriers)

Gladys Ganiel (North Belfast Harriers)

Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin)

Claire McCarthy (Leevale)

Men’s Half Marathon:

Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers)

Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock)

Mark Hanrahan (Leevale)

Gary Murray (Clonliffe Harriers)

Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders)

Kevin Seaward (St Malachys)