Irish U20’s set for Tallinn Task

POSTED:

A team of 33 athletes have arrived in Tallinn for the European U20 Championships which will take place from July 15th - 18th.

The championships have provided many great moments for Irish athletes in recent years, most notably the three medals secured by Sarah Healy (Silver), Darragh McElhinney (Bronze), and Kate O’Connor (Silver) in 2019.   

This year’s squad will touch down in Estonia buoyed by the success of the Irish U23 team which competed at the venue last weekend and took home a brilliant silver medal secured by Olympic bound David Kenny in the 20k Walk.

The full squad selection is HERE.

The latest timetable is available HERE.

Live results are HERE.

Live stream will be available HERE.

Day 1

Irish record breaker Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) will lead the team out on day 1 of the championships in the heats of the 100m which are set for 9.10am Irish time. Adeleke is ranked number 1 in Europe (U20) and will look to book her place in the semi-finals set for later in the afternoon. The Tallaght AC athlete will also take to the blocks in the 200m heats on Friday.

Recently crowned national senior 100m champion, Israel Olatunde (UCD AC) will follow shortly after and again will look to navigate his way through to the evening’s semi-finals.

Doheny AC’s Maeve O’Neill, who last week smashed the 800m South Munster Schools’ record held by Sonia O’Sullivan will go in the 800m heats in the afternoon session, while rising star of Irish athletics Cian McPhillips (Longford AC) will be joined in the 1500m heats by Sean Donoghue (Celtic DCH) at 2pm.

The trio of Fionn Harrington (Bandon AC), Tadhg Donnelly (Drogheda & District), and Nicholas Griggs (Mid-Ulster AC) will all have their sights on making it to Saturday’s 3000m final (Heats 3.05pm Thursday).

Javelin thrower Conor Cusack(Lake District AC) is the first field eventer in action tomorrow evening at 4.20pm Irish time. The UL student has made great progress this year winning the national senior title after a close battle with reigning champion Stephen Rice and throwing a Pb of 72.13m. Cusack is well capable to challenge for a place in the Saturday’s final.

Emily MacHugh (Naas AC) will round off the Irish in action on day 1 in the final of the Women’s 10k Walk from 5.30pm.

Thursday 15th (Irish Time)
  • 9.10am: Women’s 100m Heats – Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC)
  • 9.50am: Men’s 100m Heats - Israel Olatunde (UCD AC)
  • 1.25pm: Women’s 800m Heats – Maeve O’Neill (Doheny AC)
  • 2.00pm: Men’s 1500m Heats - Cian McPhillips (Longford AC) & Sean Donoghue (Celtic DCH)
  • 2.25pm: Women’s 100m Semi-Final
  • 2.45pm: Men’s 100m Semi-Final
  • 3.05pm: Men’s 3000m Heats - Fionn Harrington (Bandon AC), Tadhg Donnelly (Drogheda & District), Nicholas Griggs (Mid-Ulster AC)
  • 4.20pm: Men’s Javelin Qualifying A&B - Conor Cusack (Lake District AC)
  • 5.30pm: Women’s 10k Walk Final - Emily Mac Hugh (Naas AC)
Day 2

National U20 Hammer champion and Senior silver medalist Tuthill has been gradually increasing her PB to a new best of 61.55m. She has moved up to the 4kg implement this year and normally this takes a bit of adjustment, but she has made the transition well and the future is very promising for the young Bandon thrower. Tuthill will be first of the Irish in action on day 2 in the Women’s Hammer.

Ava O'Connor (Tullamore Harriers AC) and Eoin Quinn (Mullingar Harriers AC) will line up in stacked fields in both of their respective 1500m and 800m heats, while Alan Miley (St L O'Toole AC) will also be another of the early starters as he takes his place in the heats of the 400mH from 10.50am.

Team Ireland look to have another strong hand in the Men’s 5000m with Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers), Callum Morgan (St. Malachy's AC), and Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club) arriving here on the back of impressive national championship performances. Laadjel and Casey are currently ranked within the top 10 in Europe (U20 5,000m).

Lauren McCourt (Bandon AC) set a new 200m PB of 24.16 at the recent national senior championships and will join Irish 200m record holder Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) in the heats of the 200m from 5.20pm. Adeleke set the stunning 22.96 200m Irish record in the Manhattan earlier this year.

Galway’s Olympic bound sprinter Robert McDonnell (Galway City Harriers) will conclude the Irish competing on day two as he looks to book his place in the 200m semi-finals (Heats 5.45pm). McDonnell comes into the championships buoyed by some breath-taking performances of late which included a 20.93 which ranks him 3rd coming into this weekend.

Friday 16th
  • 8.00am/9.30am: Women’s Hammer Qualifying A&B – Nicola Tuthill (Bandon AC)
  • 9.20am: Women’s 1500m Heats - Ava O'Connor (Tullamore Harriers AC)
  • 9.45am: Men’s 800m Heats - Eoin Quinn (Mullingar Harriers AC)
  • 10.50am: Men’s 400m Hurdles Heats - Alan Miley (St L O'Toole AC)
  • 2.50pm: Women’s 800m Semi-Final - Maeve O’Neill (Doheny AC)
  • 3.20pm: Women’s 100m Final - Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC)
  • 4.55pm: Men’s 5000m Final - Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers), Callum Morgan (St. Malachy's AC), Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club)
  • 5.20pm: Women’s 200m Heats - Lauren McCourt (Bandon AC) & Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC)
  • 5.45pm: Men’s 200m Heats - Robert McDonnell (Galway City Harriers)
Day 3

Alarm clocks will be set early on Saturday morning, with several athletes competing across the track and field.

Bandon AC’s Diarmuid O’Connor will start his busy two days in the Decathlon. The UCC student has been developing slowly but surely over the last few years, culminating in a huge 500 point improvement in Arona with 7,316pts. The Bandon athlete has the physical capacity to progress into a top class international decathlete and he will not be found wanting in this event. Another performance similar to his Arona performance will place him well here.

Mullingar Harriers due of Matthew Glennon and Oisin Lane go in the final of the Men’s 10k Walk from 8.05am.

Recent U20 national champion Casey Mulvey (Innyvale AC) will be looking to challenge her PB of 15.62 as she looks to make it to the final round of throws in the Women’s Shot Put. The young Ballyjamesduff athlete heads off to De Paul University in Chicago in August and will have a great opportunity to progress further over the coming years. Mulvey will be in action from 8.35am.

The Women’s 4 x 400m relay team of Rhasidat Adeleke, Caoimhe Cronin, Maeve O'Neill, Kate O'Connell, Lauren McCourt, and Blanaid Fogarty will go in their heats from 9.30am.

Saturday 17th
  • 7.35am: Men’s Decathlon (100m Heats) - Diarmuid O'Connor Bandon AC
  • 8.05am: Men’s 10k Walk Final - Matthew Glennon Mullingar Harriers AC & Oisin Lane Mullingar Harriers
  • 8.35am: Women’s Shot Put – Casey Mulvey Innyvale AC
  • 9.30am: Women’s 4 x 400m Relay Heats
  • 1.40pm: Women’s 200m Semi-Final
  • 2.40pm: Women’s Shot Put Final
  • 3.55pm: Women’s 200m Final
  • 4.35pm: Men’s 1500m Final - Cian McPhillips (Longford AC)
  • 5.05pm: Men’s 3000m Final - Fionn Harrington (Bandon AC), Nicholas Griggs (Mid-Ulster AC)
Day 4

Diarmuid O'Connor will again be first of the Irish in action on day 4 as he continues his Decathlon competition from 7.30am.

The heats of the Men’s 4 x 100m will see four of the relay team (Israel Olatunde, Adam Sykes, Charles Okafor, Cilian Griffin, James Ezeonu, Sean Harding) take to the Tallinn track for 9.00am. The team will be hoping for a double appearance on day 4 with the final scheduled for 2.50pm.

Aoife McGreevy (Lagan Valley AC) & Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers) will be last of the Irish to make their Estonian debuts. They are set to take to the line in the Women’s 5,000m finals, which again look set to be split into A and B.

Sunday 18th
  • 7.30am: Men’s Decathlon (110m Hurdles) - Diarmuid O'Connor Bandon AC
  • 9.00am: Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Heats
  • 2.50pm: Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Final
  • 3.38pm/4.05pm: Women’s 5000m Finals (A & B) - Aoife McGreevy (Lagan Valley AC) & Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers)
  • 5.00pm: Women’s 4 x 400m Relay Final

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