Strong performances from a host of individuals and relays sees Ireland sitting in fifth position after the opening day of Division 2 at the European Athletics Team Championships in Maribor, Slovenia.
Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers) and Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) stole the show in the Men’s and Women’s 400m, while the Men’s 4x100m quartet broke the national record for the second time in the space of a week.
Raftery produced the performance of his life to clock a huge personal best of 44.98 seconds, ensuring he would cross the line in fourth in the Men’s 400m. The Dubliner becomes just the second Irish man to break the magical 45-second barrier for the event, following in the footsteps of twice European indoor champion David Gillick, who holds the national record.
“I don’t know if I have words for it,” an elated Raftery said afterwards. “That’s the best field I’ve ever been part of; it’s a Diamond League quality field. If I had ran a PB and came last, I would’ve been happy. I can’t believe that. I felt great coming down that home straight…oh my god I’m delighted.”
Also racing over one lap, Sharlene Mawdsley made a welcome return to the green singlet, turning in a season’s best of 50.93 seconds to place third.
“I don’t even know how I made it around. A season’s best is great, it’s a shame I didn’t come first, I would’ve loved to win the top points, but it would’ve taken a PB to do that today…Today was about getting out there and doing my family proud,” she said.
There were jubilant scenes in Maribor as the Men’s 4x100m team of Michael Farrelly (Raheny Shamrock AC), Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC), Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Israel Olatunde (Tallaght AC) combined to break the national record.
Three of the quartet had been part of the team who just last weekend had broken the previous national record that had stood for 25 years, clocking 38.92 in Geneva. Bori Akinola was forced to pull out and was replaced by Aigboboh.
Despite the late enforce change, the quartet managed to go even faster again in the Slovenian sun running 38.88 seconds. This ensured a heat win and saw them finish second overall.
“There’s a lot of effort that has gone into this over the years. We’re all delighted to break the national record,” Lawler, who is also captaining the team, said.”
“It’s a great experience to be out here with the lads…to be on the track here today and be part of something huge like this is great,” an emotional Aigboboh added. “It’s my first senior cap and we’ve pulled this out of the hat; it’s an amazing feeling.”
Directly before the men, the Women’s 4x100m relay team of Sarah Leahy (Killarney Valley AC), Ciara Neville (Emerald AC), Lauren Roy (City of Lisburn AC) and Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) recorded the fastest time by a women’s Irish quartet in several years. They clocked an impressive time of 43.97 to win their heat and finish third overall.
Earlier in the programme, Paris 2024 Olympians Brian Fay and Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock AC) both impressed.
Fay, racing in the Irish vest for the first time since last summer, had a titanic battle down the home straight with Isaac Kimeli of Belgium in the Men’s 5000m, the Dubliner just getting pipped to victory by less than fourth tenths of a second.
His clubmate Favors was fifth in the Men’s Shot Put, with a best of 19.42m.
Also in the field, 2023 European U20 Long Jump champion Elizabeth Ndudi (Dundrum South Dublin AC) showed her class by leaping 6.26 metres, good enough to finish fourth in a competitive competition.
Other top five performances came from Shane Bracken (Swinford AC) who finished third in the Men’s 1500m, Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC), team captain, who was fifth in the Women’s Discus, Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers) who crossed the line third in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase and David Cussen (Old Abbey AC) who was fifth in the Men’s High Jump.
The second day of action gets underway at 1:30pm tomorrow. The top three teams will be promoted to Division 1 of the European Athletics Team Championships.
European Athletics Team Championships – Day One – Results Summary
Sean Mockler – Men’s Hammer Throw – 12th (64.00m)
Shane Howard – Men’s Long Jump – 11th (7.20m)
Arlene Crossan – Women’s 400m Hurdles – 14th (59.14 PB)
Clodagh Walsh – Women’s Pole Vault – 10th (3.40m)
Fintan Dewhirst – Men’s 400m Hurdles – 15th (79.01)
Niamh Fogarty – Women’s Discus Throw – 5th (52.20m)
Bori Akinola – Men’s 100m – 8th (10.62, -2.2m/s)
Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put – 5th (19.42m)
Lucy-May Sleeman – Women’s 100m – 9th (11.84, -1.1m/s)
Sophie O’Sullivan – Women’s 800m – 16th (2:12.87)
Shane Bracken – Men’s 1500m – 3rd (3:42.92)
David Cussen – Men’s High Jump – 5th (2.16m)
Sharlene Mawdsley – Women’s 400m – 3rd (50.93)
Elizabeth Ndudi – Women’s Long Jump – 4th (6.26m)
Jack Raftery – Men’s 400m – 4th (44.98)
Grace Casey – Women’s Javelin Throw – 14th (42.33m)
Brian Fay – Men’s 5000m – 2nd (13:56.07)
Ava O’Connor – Women’s 3000m Steeplechase – 3rd (9:45.09)
Women’s 4x100m Relay (Sarah Leahy, Ciara Neville, Lauren Roy, Sarah Lavin) – 3rd (43.97)
Men’s 4x100m Relay (Michael Farrelly, Sean Aigboboh, Marcus Lawler and Israel Olatunde) – 2nd (39.88 NR)
