LAST UPDATE | 17 Jul 2021
IT HAS PROVED to be a super Saturday for Irish athletics at the European U20 Championships in Tallinn, with Rhasidat Adeleke, Cian McPhillips and Nicholas Griggs winning gold in the women’s 200m, men’s 1500m and men’s 3000m respectively.
The trio of gold medals leaves Ireland at the top of the medal table at the championships ahead of tomorrow’s final day.
Adeleke secured her second gold medal of the championships with a spectacular sprint in the 200m, adding to the gold she won at the 100m yesterday. She coasted to victory in today’s 200m final, crossing the line in a new PB and national record time of 22.90 and more than half a second clear of second-placed Minke Bisschops.
The Tallaght sprinter is the first athlete to win double gold in the 100m and 200m at these championships since Britain’s Jodie Williams 10 years ago.
Six races in three days? No problem for @rhasidatadeleke! 👌
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 17, 2021
Adeleke becomes the first athlete since Jodie Williams a decade ago to win a 100/200m double at the European U20 Championships! 🥇🥇#Tallinn2021 pic.twitter.com/6nZrVyPKF4
Longford’s Cian McPhillips, meanwhile, secured gold for Ireland in the men’s 1500m final in a time of 3:46.55, finishing ahead of Rick van Riel of the Netherlands (3:46.69) and Britain’s Henry McLuckie (3:47.15).
It's Ireland day on the track! 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 17, 2021
Propelled by a 54 second last lap, Cian McPhillips wins the European U20 1500m title in Tallinn! 🌪#Tallinn2021 pic.twitter.com/C8F53ZSCM9
Barely an hour after Adeleke kick-started the gold rush, 16-year-old Nick Griggs took home Ireland’s third gold medal of the day.
His came in the men’s 3000m final, finishing in a time of 8:17.18. Griggs finished comfortably clear of second-placed Yassin Mohumed (8:18.36) of Germany and Britain’s Alex Melloy (8:18.49) in third. Fionn Harrington finished further back in 16th place.
A fourth gold medal for Ireland 🇮🇪 in just over 24 hours in Tallinn!
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 17, 2021
Only 16, Nicholas Griggs uncorks a last kilometre of 2:31 to run away from the field the 3000m! 💨
📈 That title also takes Ireland to the top of the medal table! 🥇🥈🥉#Tallinn2021 pic.twitter.com/eW6zVbknYx
Elsewhere, Diarmuid O’Connor of Bandon AC is in contention after the first day of the men’s decathlon, presently lying within 49 points of a podium spot on the back of three PBs in four of his events.
Updated at 17.30 with details of Griggs’ victory
