IT WAS ANOTHER busy day for Team Ireland at the European U23 Championships as records tumbled in the men’s 4x400m relay and the 4x100m relay in Espoo, Finland.
Gabriel Kehinde, Runo Ayavoro, Colin Doyle, and Israel Olatunde set a new Irish record in the 4x100m relay as they crossed in a time of 39:52 to book their place in the final. They then surpassed that time with a superb 39.51 to take 5th place in the final later in the evening.
The 4x400m relay team of Andrew Egan, Callum Baird, Aaron Keane, and Jack Raftery also set a new national record of 3:06:34 to book their place in Sunday’s final.
Elsewhere, Sarah Healy (1500m), Sophie O’Sullivan (1500m), and Ruby Millet (Long Jump) all safely secured their passage the final of their respective finals on Sunday.
O’Sullivan won her heat in a time 4:18:25. Healy followed up shortly after, taking control of her heat with two laps to go to cross in a winning time of 4:16:58.
In the Long Jump, Ruby Millet of St Abbans AC posted an outdoor PB of 6.42m on her second jump to advance from this morning’s qualifying round, and she will return to the pit tomorrow for the final.
What a day for Irish relay 🙌🏼
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 15, 2023
Records broken today👇🏼
✅U23 4x100m: 39:52
✅U23 4x400m: 3:06:34
✅U23 4x100m: 39:51#Espoo2023
📸@James_Athletics pic.twitter.com/4ts3j6tQuV
Tullamore Harriers’ James Dunne finished 10th in his heat (9:26.25) of the 3,00m steeplechase which was not enough to progress. Sean McGinley (Finn Valley AC) also featured in the steeplechase but was forced to pull up during the opening laps of his respective heat due to illness.
Ava O’Connor (Tullamore AC) finished 8th in the 3,000m steeple chase final, clocking a lifetime best of 10:01:34.
Leevale’s Anika Thompson was running in the final of the 10,000m where she came home in 12th place in a promising time of 35:26.91 in the hot evening conditions.
Colin Doyle, who was part of that stunning 4x100m relay performance, ran in the heats of the 200m where he posted a season’s best time of 21.15 to finish an agonising one place outside of the non-automatic qualifier positions.
✨ FAY BREAKS NATIONAL 5000M RECORD ✨
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 15, 2023
Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrocks A.C.) has broken the long-standing national 5000m record this evening in Heusden, The Netherlands.
Fay clocked a time of 13.01.40 to knock two seconds off the mark Alistair Cragg set nearly twelve years ago… pic.twitter.com/1ez8w9S6I4
Elsewhere, Brian Fay of the Raheny Shamrocks A.C. also broke the long-standing national 5000m record this evening in the Netherlands as he clocked an impressive time of 13.01.40 to finish second in a quality field.
The 24-year-old knocked two seconds off the previous record which had been held by Alistair Cragg since September 2011. His time comes in under the automatic qualifying standard for the World Championships in Budapest as well as next summer’s European Championships in Rome, and the Olympic Games in Paris.
Irish in action on Sunday, Day 4 – European U23 Championships
Abdel Laadjel – 10,000m Final – 8.50am
Cian McPhillips – 800m Final – 4.10pm
Sophie O’Sullivan & Sarah Healy – 1,500m Final – 4.25pm
Ruby Millet – Long Jump Final – 4.35pm
Andrew Egan, Callum Baird, Aaron Keane, and Jack Raftery – 4x400m Relay Final – 4.45pm
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