TO TORUŃ, FOR the World Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend.
All eyes on Poland for Kujawy Pomorze ’26 from Friday to Sunday, 20 to 22 March.
Ireland has sent a team of 11 athletes, with Kate O’Connor leading the medal charge having made history at last year’s edition in Nanjing, China. The multi-event star won Ireland’s first medal at the championships since 2006 in securing Pentathlon silver.
Expectations are higher after that feat, and with several athletes in encouraging form, the soundings are positive.
“This is an exciting team with real prospects for medal success,” as Athletics Ireland High Performance Director, Paul McNamara, said.
“Kate’s achievement in Nanjing last year has set a bar for what Irish athletes can achieve at these championships, and we travel to Poland with real intent.
The action is live on Virgin Media Two, and here, The 42 runs through the Irish team preparing to represent on the world stage.
******
Kate O’Connor
Eyes on the prize: Kate O'Connor. Nikola Krstic / INPHO
Nikola Krstic / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Women’s Pentathlon – Sunday, starts 9.05am Irish time Club: Dundalk St. Gerard’s AC Coach: Michael O’Connor, Tom Reynolds & Dave Sweeney
O’Connor will spearhead the Irish team as a defending medallist. The multi-event star won Pentathlon silver 12 months ago amidst a dream 2025. She has started this season strongly, with two new personal bests in the 60m Hurdles (8.21) and Long Jump (6.50m) at national indoors two weeks ago.
A return to the podium is her target, as she told The 42 while managing a knee injury before Christmas. “If I’m not in the shape to put myself in the place where I can win a medal, I won’t be there . . . I want to win medals.”
Bori Akinola
Need for speed: Bori Akinola. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Men’s 60m – Heats Friday 9.20am Irish time Club: UCD AC Coach: Adam McMullen
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Akinola is also travelling to Poland in red-hot form. He smashed the Irish 60m record in Serbia last month, lowering Israel Olatunde’s mark to 6.54 seconds. The 24-year-old had broken his own personal best just two weeks previous. The reigning 60m and 100m national champion will be full of confidence, looking to make a splash.
Lauren Roy
Roy at the 2023 European Games. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Women’s 60m – Heats Saturday 10.05am Irish time Club: Fast Twitch AC Coach: Timothy Thompson
Roy has been building up an impressive body of work on the NCAA circuit with Tarleton State University in Texas. The Ballymena sprinter clocked a 7.19 seconds personal best to secure automatic qualification. A silver medallist at nationals, Roy also PBd over 200m: 22.89 seconds moved her second on the all-time list behind just Rhasidat Adeleke.
Ciara Neville
Winner, winner: Neville took gold at nationals. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Women’s 60m – Heats Saturday 10.05am Irish time Club: Emerald AC Coach: Noelle Morrissey
One of three Irish athletes left waiting for World Athletics to release its final list of qualifiers, Neville joins Roy in the 60m. The Limerick speedster is in the form of her life, winning gold at nationals and lowering her personal best from 2017 on three occasions (now 7.26 seconds). Now back on the world stage aged 26 after a serious hamstring injury hampered her promising progress.
Mark English
English is no stranger to the biggest stages. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Men’s 800m – Heats Friday 12.26pm Irish time Club: Finn Valley AC Coach: Justin Rinaldi
Another headline name on the team, English is a five-time European medallist. The Donegal 32-year-old has been ageing like a fine wine, lowering his own Irish indoor 800m record twice this season, with his best of 1:44.23 set in Ostrava. English also ran a national indoor 600m record of 1:15.80 in January, starting as he means to go on. A medal prospect, hoping to make his experience count.
Maeve O’Neill
Record breaker: Maeve O’Neill. Ben McShane / SPORTSFILE
Ben McShane / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
Event: Women’s 800m – Heats Friday 11.51am Irish time Club: Doheny AC Coach: Ray Treacy
At the other end of the scale, O’Neill will make her Irish senior international debut in Toruń. The Cork 22-year-old recently broke the national indoor record, running 2:00.33 in Boston while studying at Providence College in Rhode Island. Will be looking to bank some crucial exposure to the world stage.
Emma Moore
Event: Women’s 800m - Heats Friday 11.51am Irish time Club: Galway City Harriers Coach: Joe Ryan
Moore to come: Emma Moore (left) set for international debut. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Like Neville, Moore’s selection was rubber-stamped after the initial squad announcement. The Galway 21-year-old is also set for her international bow as a breakthrough 2026 hits new heights. A student at DCU, Moore lowered her 800m personal best to 2:01.21 in January, and sits fourth on the Irish indoor all-time list.
James Gormley
Event: Men’s 1500m – Heats Friday 5.54pm Irish time Club: Carmen Runners Coach: Ben Thomas
Gormley in action at these championships last year. Nikola Krstic / INPHO
Nikola Krstic / INPHO / INPHO
The third Irish athlete green lit after the rankings were confirmed, Gormley drops to 1500m after racing in the 3000m in Nanjing last year. The 29-year-old ran a personal best of 3:37.60 in Boston last month, which secured qualification and moved him to eighth on the Irish indoor all-time list.
Andrew Coscoran
Ready to go: Andrew Coscoran. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Men’s 3000m - Final Saturday 6.22pm Irish time Club: Star of the Sea AC Coach: Helen Clitheroe
Coscoran is set for a straight 15-man 3000m final, after “carnage” over the distance at nationals. Battling with Nick Griggs and Darragh McElhinney for the two available spots, the Dubliner fell in a collision and finished eighth in 8:24.33. Recently lowered his Irish indoor 1500m record to 3:33.09 in France, and while qualified, has opted to focus on the longer distance here.
Nick Griggs
Griggs celebrates winning at nationals. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Men’s 3000m - Final Saturday 6.22pm Irish time Club: Candour Track Club Coach: Mark Kirk
As Coscoran and McElhinney tangled, Griggs steered clear of trouble to win his first national senior title at the age of 21 in 8:14.52. Secured the ‘A’ standard for Poland while setting a new Irish U23 record of 7:31.79 in Boston in January. One of the brightest young talents in Irish athletics, with a fine collection of cross country medals. Also holds the all-time record for Parkrun.
Sarah Lavin
Lavin it: Sarah Lavin is a consistent championship performer. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Event: Women’s 60m Hurdles – Heats Saturday 10.05am Irish time Club: Emerald AC Coach: Noelle Morrissey
Lavin also hit the standard in January, clocking an early season’s best of 7.98 seconds as she opened it in Paris. The Limerick star held off Kate O’Connor to claim a remarkable 19th national senior title in 8.07 at the start of the month. Disappointed not to go sub-eight, that will be a baseline target in Toruń. A consistent championship performer, finished fifth in the final in Glasgow two years ago.
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Meet the Irish team set for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland
TO TORUŃ, FOR the World Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend.
All eyes on Poland for Kujawy Pomorze ’26 from Friday to Sunday, 20 to 22 March.
Ireland has sent a team of 11 athletes, with Kate O’Connor leading the medal charge having made history at last year’s edition in Nanjing, China. The multi-event star won Ireland’s first medal at the championships since 2006 in securing Pentathlon silver.
Expectations are higher after that feat, and with several athletes in encouraging form, the soundings are positive.
“This is an exciting team with real prospects for medal success,” as Athletics Ireland High Performance Director, Paul McNamara, said.
The action is live on Virgin Media Two, and here, The 42 runs through the Irish team preparing to represent on the world stage.
******
Event: Women’s Pentathlon – Sunday, starts 9.05am Irish time
Club: Dundalk St. Gerard’s AC
Coach: Michael O’Connor, Tom Reynolds & Dave Sweeney
O’Connor will spearhead the Irish team as a defending medallist. The multi-event star won Pentathlon silver 12 months ago amidst a dream 2025. She has started this season strongly, with two new personal bests in the 60m Hurdles (8.21) and Long Jump (6.50m) at national indoors two weeks ago.
A return to the podium is her target, as she told The 42 while managing a knee injury before Christmas. “If I’m not in the shape to put myself in the place where I can win a medal, I won’t be there . . . I want to win medals.”
Event: Men’s 60m – Heats Friday 9.20am Irish time
Club: UCD AC
Coach: Adam McMullen
Akinola is also travelling to Poland in red-hot form. He smashed the Irish 60m record in Serbia last month, lowering Israel Olatunde’s mark to 6.54 seconds. The 24-year-old had broken his own personal best just two weeks previous. The reigning 60m and 100m national champion will be full of confidence, looking to make a splash.
Event: Women’s 60m – Heats Saturday 10.05am Irish time
Club: Fast Twitch AC
Coach: Timothy Thompson
Roy has been building up an impressive body of work on the NCAA circuit with Tarleton State University in Texas. The Ballymena sprinter clocked a 7.19 seconds personal best to secure automatic qualification. A silver medallist at nationals, Roy also PBd over 200m: 22.89 seconds moved her second on the all-time list behind just Rhasidat Adeleke.
Event: Women’s 60m – Heats Saturday 10.05am Irish time
Club: Emerald AC
Coach: Noelle Morrissey
One of three Irish athletes left waiting for World Athletics to release its final list of qualifiers, Neville joins Roy in the 60m. The Limerick speedster is in the form of her life, winning gold at nationals and lowering her personal best from 2017 on three occasions (now 7.26 seconds). Now back on the world stage aged 26 after a serious hamstring injury hampered her promising progress.
Event: Men’s 800m – Heats Friday 12.26pm Irish time
Club: Finn Valley AC
Coach: Justin Rinaldi
Another headline name on the team, English is a five-time European medallist. The Donegal 32-year-old has been ageing like a fine wine, lowering his own Irish indoor 800m record twice this season, with his best of 1:44.23 set in Ostrava. English also ran a national indoor 600m record of 1:15.80 in January, starting as he means to go on. A medal prospect, hoping to make his experience count.
Event: Women’s 800m – Heats Friday 11.51am Irish time
Club: Doheny AC
Coach: Ray Treacy
At the other end of the scale, O’Neill will make her Irish senior international debut in Toruń. The Cork 22-year-old recently broke the national indoor record, running 2:00.33 in Boston while studying at Providence College in Rhode Island. Will be looking to bank some crucial exposure to the world stage.
Event: Women’s 800m - Heats Friday 11.51am Irish time
Club: Galway City Harriers
Coach: Joe Ryan
Like Neville, Moore’s selection was rubber-stamped after the initial squad announcement. The Galway 21-year-old is also set for her international bow as a breakthrough 2026 hits new heights. A student at DCU, Moore lowered her 800m personal best to 2:01.21 in January, and sits fourth on the Irish indoor all-time list.
Event: Men’s 1500m – Heats Friday 5.54pm Irish time
Club: Carmen Runners
Coach: Ben Thomas
The third Irish athlete green lit after the rankings were confirmed, Gormley drops to 1500m after racing in the 3000m in Nanjing last year. The 29-year-old ran a personal best of 3:37.60 in Boston last month, which secured qualification and moved him to eighth on the Irish indoor all-time list.
Event: Men’s 3000m - Final Saturday 6.22pm Irish time
Club: Star of the Sea AC
Coach: Helen Clitheroe
Coscoran is set for a straight 15-man 3000m final, after “carnage” over the distance at nationals. Battling with Nick Griggs and Darragh McElhinney for the two available spots, the Dubliner fell in a collision and finished eighth in 8:24.33. Recently lowered his Irish indoor 1500m record to 3:33.09 in France, and while qualified, has opted to focus on the longer distance here.
Event: Men’s 3000m - Final Saturday 6.22pm Irish time
Club: Candour Track Club
Coach: Mark Kirk
As Coscoran and McElhinney tangled, Griggs steered clear of trouble to win his first national senior title at the age of 21 in 8:14.52. Secured the ‘A’ standard for Poland while setting a new Irish U23 record of 7:31.79 in Boston in January. One of the brightest young talents in Irish athletics, with a fine collection of cross country medals. Also holds the all-time record for Parkrun.
Event: Women’s 60m Hurdles – Heats Saturday 10.05am Irish time
Club: Emerald AC
Coach: Noelle Morrissey
Lavin also hit the standard in January, clocking an early season’s best of 7.98 seconds as she opened it in Paris. The Limerick star held off Kate O’Connor to claim a remarkable 19th national senior title in 8.07 at the start of the month. Disappointed not to go sub-eight, that will be a baseline target in Toruń. A consistent championship performer, finished fifth in the final in Glasgow two years ago.
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Athletics Guide Ireland XI Squad xi