Athletics Ireland has today (July 15^th) announced a 24-strong team for the World Athletics U20 Championships which take place in Eugene, Oregon from August 5^th to 9^th.

The team features athletes across a broad range of events in both the track and the field. European U20 200m finalist Dubem Amah (Tallaght AC) will have only just turned 18 when the championships come around and following his recent 20.98 PB at the Cork City Sports, the fifth fastest by an Irishman in this age-group ever, will be full of confidence.

Amah is listed as part of the Men’s 4x100m relay team which also features Adam Ofeimun (Donore Harriers), Ben Sykes (Orangegrove AC), Ciaran O’Farrell (Donore Harriers) and Joshua Awujoola (Fast Twitch AC). The team smashed the Irish record in Mannheim, Germany last month with a 40.09 clocking.

Four Irish hurdlers have secured their spots on the plane to the United States. Ethan Dewhirst (Tír Chonaill AC) and Des O’Neill (Raheny Shamrock AC) have been selected in the Men’s 400m Hurdles. Dewhirst has had a sensational 2026 season heretofore moving to second on the Irish U20 all-time list behind Thomas Barr and fifth on the Irish senior all-time list for the event by running 50.51 over the barriers in Malaga in June. O’Neill claimed victory over Dewhirst at the recent 123.ie National U20 Championships, his time of 51.45 puts him fourth on the Irish U20 all-time list.

Ellis McHugh (Ferrybank AC) broke new ground in Tullamore in May, breaking the Irish U20 record in the Women’s 400m Hurdles. Following an excellent season, she will head to Eugene to compete in that event and will look to build on her experience having won bronze at the European Youth Olympic Festival last year.

Orlaith Mannion (South Galway AC) has also been in the form of her life this year and a 13.52 clocking in the 100m Hurdles in Belgium last month has seen her rise to second on the Irish U20 all-time list behind Sarah Lavin but ahead of Derval O’Rourke. She will hope to go even faster next month when it matters most.

The Women’s 4x400m Relay team is loaded with star-quality. Molly Daly* (Kilkenny City Harriers) and Erin Friel (Letterkenny AC) both ran on Irish senior teams at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana back in May so don’t lack experience on the big stage. They are joined by Maria Zakharenko (Kilcoole AC) who ran a personal best of 54.64 to win the recent U20 national title in Tullamore, as well as Sofia Granjo (St. Laurence O’Toole AC) and Roisin Murray (Bray Runners AC) both of whom who have run well under 55 seconds this year.

Saoirse Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers) stormed to a new personal best of 2:03.52 over 800m at the Morton Games last Friday, moving third on the Irish U20 all-time list behind Sarah Healy and Ciara Mageean. The Dubliner enters the championships in a rich vein of form and will be hoping to replicate her recent performances in Oregon.

Pia Langton (Kilkenny City Harriers) holds entries in both the Women’s 800m and 1500m. Langton lowered her 800m PB to 2:05.72 at Cork City Sports last week and has also clocked 4:21.77 for the 1500m indoors this year. Gemma Galvin (Ennis Track AC) has completed her first year of her studies at Providence College and will go in the Women’s 1500m.

In the distance events Cillian Gleeson (Celbridge AC) is selected in the Men’s 5000m, his 13:54.27 ran in April during his first year at the University of Wisconsin is the fourth fastest by an Irish U20 man ever. Dearbhla Allen (St. Peter’s AC) sealed her place on the plane by winning the U20 national title recently in the 3000m Steeplechase. Her 10:25.69 personal best ran this year in Belfast moved her to second on the Irish all-time list for the age group.

Two Irish race walkers will look for big performances in the Men’s 5000m race. Seamus Clarke (Moy Valley AC) obliterated the Irish U20 record for the event at the National Championships, clocking 19:45.34 which ranks him 7^th in the world for the event on the track this year. Joining the Mayo man on the start line will be Galway’s Matthew Newell (Castlegar AC) who previously held the national age-group record before finishing second to Clarke at nationals in a 20:08.79 PB.

Multi-eventers will also be represented on the team thanks to Enya Silkena (Ratoath AC) and Eoin O’Callaghan (Bandon AC). Silkena will be in action in the Women’s Heptathlon on the back of her 5536 personal best which was set in Italy back in April. O’Callaghan goes in the Men’s Decathlon looking to improve his 7145 points total which he recorded in the Netherlands in May.

Siún Quinn (Brothers Pearse AC) has had an excellent first year at the University of Illinois improving her best in the Women’s High Jump to 1.86m last Friday at Morton Games. This moved the Dubliner to second on the Irish U20 all-time list and equal sixth on the Irish senior all-time list. The jump also ranks her ninth on the U20 world top list this year.

The championships which will be held at the iconic Hayward Field serves as the first platform for Ireland’s best junior athletics talents to compete on the world stage and previous editions have seen stars of the sport emerge. Antoine Burke (1994, High Jump silver), Ciara Mageean (2010, 1500m silver), Sommer Lecky (2018, High Jump silver), Molly Scott, Ciara Neville, Gina Akpe-Moses, Patience Jumbo-Gula, Rhasidat Adeleke (2018, Women’s 4x100m Relay silver) and Oisín Joyce (2024, Javelin Throw bronze) are Ireland’s previous medallists at the event.

Commenting on the selection Athletics Ireland Performance Pathway Manager, Jacqui Freyne, said:

“I wish to congratulate all the athletes and their personal coaches on their selection. Selection for a World Athletics U20 Championships team is an important milestone in an athlete’s journey. This group has demonstrated the commitment, consistency and competitive performances needed to earn that opportunity.

“We look forward to supporting these athletes as they travel to Eugene, Oregon to compete with confidence against the world’s best U20 talent.”

TEAM SELECTION:

• Athletics Ireland’s World Athletics U20 Championships selection policy is HERE
• World Athletics U20 Championships website is HERE
• World Athletics U20 Championships timetable is HERE
• Preview, where to watch and Irish schedule will be issued the week of August 3^rd
• Championship updates will be available on the Athletics Ireland social media channels

This was posted @ 1:15pm on 15.07.2026