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Mark English. Bryan Keane/INPHO
Selection

European Indoors: Olatunde and English lead Irish team, Healy to miss 400m

The Championships take place in Istanbul next week.

LAST UPDATE | Feb 23rd 2023, 10:06 PM

ISRAEL OLATUNDE AND Mark English will be among Ireland’s strongest medal hopes for the upcoming European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, taking place from 2 to 5 March. 

But Phil Healy confirmed on Thursday evening that she will not compete individually in the 400 metres, and will focus her energy instead on the 4x400m relay.

“It has been a very rough few months that I have only shared with a few people, to try and overcome some health issues and get my body responding again,” Healy, who finished fourth in the 400m in Torun in 2021, explained.

“Knowing that an individual performance wasn’t going to be at my desired standards, I still toed the line at nationals and opened my season to do what I could, to try to post a time to help the 4x400m relay secure qualification for European Indoors.

“I’m delighted that we collectively succeeded in securing that qualification and I’m looking forward to competing with the girls next week in the relay and watching the whole Irish team perform in their respective events!”

Olatunde set a new 60m Irish record at the national indoor championships last weekend, and Athletics Ireland have now confirmed he will race in Istanbul next week. Joan Healy and Molly Scott have also been selected to compete at the 60m – Scott’s participation is subject to shaking off injury – while Sarah Lavin will run in the 60m hurdles. 

Two-time European indoor medalist Mark English will run in the 800m, along with John Fitzsimons. 

Darragh McElhinney, who edged out Nick Griggs to win the national 3000m title last weekend, is Ireland’s sole participant at that distance. 

Ciara Mageean is absent through injury, while the in-form Rhasidat Adeleke is in America, committed to the NCAA circuit with the University of Texas. 

The team announcement was accompanied by confirmation that 123.ie have become the new kit sponsor of the Irish athletics team, extending a sponsorship deal that Athletics Ireland say is a multi-annual, six-figure deal. 

Irish team

  • Molly Scott* 60m
  • Joan Healy 60m
  • Israel Olatunde 60m
  • Sarah Lavin 60mH
  • Sharlene Mawdsley 400m & 4x400m
  • Sophie Becker 400m & 4x400m
  • Phil Healy 4x400m
  • Cliodhna Manning 400m & 4x400m
  • Miriam Daly 4x400m
  • Niamh Murray 4x400m
  • Kate O’Connor Pentathlon
  • Mark English 800m
  • John Fitzsimons 800m
  • Andrew Coscoran 1500m
  • Luke McCann 1500m
  • Darragh McElhinney 3000m

*pending proof of fitness 

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