Mulcaire to lead Irish team at European Juniors

24 track and field athletes have been selected to represent Ireland at the upcoming European Junior Athletics Championships which take place in Sweden from the 16th-19th of July. The large Irish representation is the beginning of the new breed of athletes starting to come through from the youth and junior categories.  

Mulcaire Ranked Fourth

Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track AC) produced a stunning run of 14.02.30 in the 5,000m at the BMC meet in Trafford in May. The time was a new Irish junior record breaking the old mark held by John Treacy of 14.04.6. Mulcaire is ranked fourth on the current European junior rankings over 5,000m, the highest ranking of any of the Irish athletes heading to Sweden. Mulcaire is joined in the 5,000m by Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers AC) after he ran a personal best of 14.28.16 at the BMC meet in Watford. 

Irish Sprinting on the Rise

Irish sprinting is on an upward curve with 13 athletes selected across the sprints, hurdles and relays events for the continental championships in Sweden. Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) goes in the 100m and 4x100m relay having enjoyed a breakthrough season which includes an 11.64 clocking at the Irish Schools Championships on the 30th of May. Gina Akpe Moses (Blackrock – Louth) joins Neville in the 100m while Phoebe Murphy (Ferrybank AC) and Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) line up in the 200m. All four athletes along with Roisin Harrison (Emerald AC) will contest the 4x100m relay having run an Irish record of 45.08 in Mannheim on the 28th of June. 

Strength & Depth

Zak Irwin (Sligo AC) is ranked second on the 2015 Irish top lists in the 100m (10.60) and the 200m (21.45). Irwin goes in both those events and the 4x100m relay in Sweden. He is joined in the relay by Joseph Owejumi (Tallaght AC), Sean Lawlor (Donore Harriers AC), Eoin Doherty (Tallaght AC) and Scott Gibson (Bandon AC). Gibson will also contest the 400m having run a time of 47.60 seconds this year. Jenna Bromell (Emerald AC) goes in the junior women’s 400m after her 55.20 performance at the Mannheim meeting. 

Irish junior 110m hurdles record holder Matthew Behan (Crusaders AC) is selected for that event along with Garbhan McKenna (Shercock AC). Behan broke the Irish junior record with a run of 13.99 seconds at a meeting in Cork on the 18th of May while McKenna has a season’s best of 14.27. 

4 Middle Distance Athletes in Action

Harry Purcell (Trim AC) and Cillian Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) contest the 800m at the Europeans. Purcell is currently ranked 12th on the European lists with his 1.49.46 time from the IFAM meeting on the 23rd of May. Purcell can also call on his 47.33 second speed in the 400m which could prove important in a championship environment. Kirwan has consistently run in the 1.50’s this year with his fastest clocking (1.50.01) coming at the IMC meeting in Leixlip on the 13th of June.  Andrew Corscoran (Star of the Sea AC) has raced sparingly over the last few months; however the races he has run have been of the highest quality. Corscoran has run times of 3.47.04 (1500m) and 14.23.97 (5,000m) this year; he goes in the 1500m at the European Juniors. 

Louise Shanahan (Leevale AC) is Ireland’s sole representative in the women’s middle distance events in Sweden. Shanahan ran a personal best of 2.08.15 this year and has proven track record at major championships including a gold medal winning performance at the EYOF’s in 2013. 

5 Athletes to Represent Ireland in the Field Events

Ireland is well represented in the field events with Fellan McGuigan (Finn Valley AC) and Alice Akers (Marian AC) contesting the hammer event. McGuigan has been in good recent form after throwing 68.15m in Mannheim while Akers has been over 56m consistently this year with her best coming in Templemore on the 24th of May with a throw of 56.82m. 

John Kelly (Finn Valley AC) threw a massive distance of 18.61m in the shot put at a meeting in Lifford on the 10th of May to book his place in Sweden.  Another thrower in fine form this season is Eoin Sheridan (North Westmeath) having thrown a distance of 55.43m in the discus in Santry on the 27th of June.  Sam Healy (Leevale AC) was in great form during the indoor season setting a new personal best of 7.53m in the long jump. Healy has competed sparingly in the outdoor season but showed an encouraging return to form at the recent National junior championships winning the title with a 7.19m jump.