From the inaugural European Athletics Championships in Turin 1934 it took 60 years before the Irish flag was hoisted in Helsinki 1994 when Sonia O’Sullivan won gold in the 3000 metres in 8.31.84. Four years later in Budapest Sonia had a remarkable double in the 5000 metres ( 15.06.50 ) and 10,000 metres (31.29.33 ) .At the last championships in Munich 2002 Sonia added further to her successes in winning silver medals in the 5000 metres ( 15.14.85 ) and 10,000 metres ( 30.47.59 ). Thus of Ireland’s total medal haul of 9 from these championships Sonia holds 5-a truly phenomenal achievement.
Ireland’s other medal winners from these championships were:

Year	Name	Position	Event	Performance	Location
1958	Ronnie Delany	3rd	1500 metres	3.42.3	Stockholm
1969	Frank Murphy	2nd	1500 metres	3.39.51	Athens
1978	Eamonn Coghlan	2nd	1500 metres	3.36.57	Prague
1998	Mark Carroll	3rd	5000 metres	13.38.15	Budapest

Detailed below are the full list of Irish finalists ( top 6 to 1962: top 8 later ) from these championships :

Year	Name	Position	Event	Performance	Location
1954	Eamon Kinsella	5th	110 metres hurdles	14.7	Berne
1958	Ronnie Delany	3rd	1500 metres	3.42.3	Stockholm
1962	Derek McCleane	5th	800 metres	1.51.3	Belgrade
	Maeve Kyle	6th	400 metres	57.5	Belgrade
1966	Noel Carroll	8th	800 metres	1.47.9	Budapest
1969	Frank Murphy	2nd	1500 metres	3.39.51	Athens
	Noel Carroll	7th	800 metres	1.49.1	Athens
1971	Claire Walsh	6th	800 metres	2.08.6	Helsinki
1974	Neil Cusack	8th	Marathon	2.22.05	Rome
1978	Eamonn Coghlan	2nd	1500 metres	3.36.57	Prague
	John Treacy	4th	5000 metres	13.28.8	Prague
1982	Ray Flynn	8th	1500 metres	3.40.44	Athens
1986	Marcus O’Sullivan	6th	1500 metres	3.42.60	Stuttgart
	Frank O’Mara	8th	1500 metres	3.42.90	Stuttgart
	John Treacy	6th	10,000 metres	28.04.10	Stuttgart
1994	Sonia O’Sullivan	1st	3000 metres	8.31.84	Helsinki
	Nick Sweeney	4th	Discus	63.76	Helsinki
	Terry McHugh	7th	Javelin	80.46	Helsinki
1998	Sonia O’Sullivan	1st	5000 metres	15.06.50	Budapest
	Sonia O’Sullivan	1st	10,000 metres	31.29.33	Budapest
	James McIlroy	4th	800 metres	1.45.46	Budapest
	Mark Carroll	3rd	5000 metres	13.38.15	Budapest
	Valerie Vaughan	7th	5000 metres	15.39.99	Budapest
	Susan Smith	8th	400 metres hurdles	55.61	Budapest
2002	Sonia O’Sullivan	2nd	5000 metres	15.14.85	Munich
	Sonia O’Sullivan	2nd	10,000 metres	30.47.59	Munich
	Gillian O’Sullivan	4th	2oK Walk	1.28.46	Munich
	Mark Carroll	6th	5000 metres	13.42.87	Munich
	Rob Heffernan	8th	20K Walk	1.21.10	Munich
	Ireland	5th	4x400 relay	3.04.13	Munich
	(Rob Daly,Paul McKee,Antoine Burke,David McCarthy)

An analysis of the foregoing clearly shows that the recent editions of these championships have been by far the most successful for Ireland. The nadir was Split in 1990 with no finalist. 2002 in Munich was particularly successful. Can Gothenburg replicate that success story in the absence of Sonia O’Sullivan, Mark Carroll and Gillian O’Sullivan three of the all-time greats of the sport. Let’s wait and see. Athletics Ireland wishes all its athletes every success in Gothenburg in what is truly expected to be a wonderful edition of these championships.