Irish athlete Info 2014 European Athletics Championships

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The 2014 European Athletics Championships take place in Zurich, Switzerland from the 12th-17th of August. The 28 strong Irish team competing at the championships is made up of a mixture of experienced International athletes and up and coming developing athletes aiming to make their mark in Europe for the first time.  A full Irish athlete schedule and history of the event can be viewed below.

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Irish Athlete Schedule

Irish Athletics History at the European Championships

Key Statistics

  • There are over 50 countries and 1,500 athletes participating in the European Track and Field Championships all of whom had to achieve a challenging qualification standard to compete making it one of the most competitive sporting events taking place in Europe this year.
  • Ireland has had one medallist in the past 10 years of the European Championships  - Derval O’Rourke who won silver in 2006 and again in 2010
  • In total, Ireland has had 6 athletes on the podium winning a total of  11  medals in the 80 year history of the European Track and Field Championships
  • The average age of the Irish athletes competing at these championships on the track is 23 years of age with Phil Healy who competes in the 100m, the youngest at 19 years of age.  
  • 22 year old, Thomas Barr is the highest European ranked Irish athlete going into the championships.  Thomas is currently European number 3 with a time of 48.90
  • Ireland will be represented in the 1500m by Ciaran O’Lionaird, Paul Robinson and John Travers. This is the first time since 1986 that Ireland has three representatives in this event and 2006 was the last time Ireland had a representative in the 1500m final.
  • Mark English will be vying to become Ireland’s first 800m finalist since1998 when  James McIlroy (cousin to golfer Rory) placed fourth.
  • Former double European Cross Country Champion Fionnuala Britton will compete in her fourth European championships equalling the Irish record for number of appearances at the championships.
  • The Irish Men’s 4x400m relay team has made the final on two occasions in 2002 in Munich and in 2006 in Gotenburg, the women’s 4x100m has never made a final.
  • 11 Irish Records have been set at European Championships in the last 10 years including Robert Heffernan setting a new 50k Irish Record of 3:45.30 in Barcelona in 2010 

European Championship Irish Medallists

1958 Ronnie Delany Bronze 1500m
1969 Frank Murphy Silver 1500m
1978 Eamonn Coghlan Silver 1500m
1994 Sonia O'Sullivan Gold 3000m
1998 Sonia O'Sullivan Gold 10,000m
1998 Sonia O'Sullivan Gold 5000m
1998 Mark Carroll Bronze 5000m
2002 Sonia O'Sullivan Silver 5000m
2002 Sonia O'Sullivan Silver 10,000m
2006 Derval O'Rourke Silver 100m Hurdles
2010 Derval O'Rourke Silver 100m Hurdles

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