SLEEMAN SECURES EUROPEAN TOP EIGHT FINISH

Lucy-May Sleeman (Leevale A.C.) has secured an 8th place finish in the final of the 100m at the European Athletics U20 Championships in Jerusalem this evening (Aug 8th).

Running from lane eight, the Cork teenager exploded from the blocks in her customary style to put herself right in contention over the opening stages before a fast-finishing pack saw the national U20 champion ultimately have to settle for 8th place in a time of 11.81.

The performance came on the back of Sleeman’s appearance in this morning’s 200m semi-final where she finished 5th in a season’s best time of 24.10 which was just four tenths of a second outside of making a second sprint final of the week.

Today’s result round out another superb international competition for the talented Leevale sprinter who walks away from these championships with a top eight finish and a lifetime best of 11.54 from yesterday’s 100m semi-final.

This evening’s 100m medals went to Joy Eze (GBR) 11.39, Renee Regis (GBR) 11.40, and Anna Luca Kocsis (HUN) 11.55.   

Away from Sleeman’s exploits, Victoria Amiadamen (Dooneen A.C.) and Fintan Dewhirst (Tir Chonaill A.C.) put in two outstanding hurdling performances earlier in the day with both athletes picking up lifetime bests on their way to progressing to tomorrow’s 400m hurdles semi-finals.

Amiadamen ran on strongly from the final bend to clock a 59.77 PB for one of the fastest non-automatic qualification places, while Dewhirst (Tir Chonaill A.C.) followed shortly after with a PB of his own, crossing in 51.49 PB to secure an automatic qualification place for tomorrow morning’s semi-final.

Niamh Murray (Bray Runners) bowed out in the penultimate round of the women’s 400m, finishing 8th in her semi-final in a time of 55.03 having set a new personal best of 54.75 in yesterday’s opening round.

First out on track for today’s late session was Adam Nolan (St. Laurence O’Toole A.C.) who finished 8th his 110m hurdles semi-final, crossing the finish in a time of 13.77.

Maeve O’Neill (Doheny A.C.) produced a storming final 50 meters in her 800m semi-final to book a place in Thursday’s final as one of the non-automatic qualifiers. O’Neill took her place in the last of this afternoon’s semi-finals knowing exactly what she had to do and the Doheny athlete executed her race plan superbly to cross in third place in 2.07.50q.

Neil Culhane (ACE A.C.) finished 8th in his 800m semi-final, clocking 1:54.49 in a slowly run heat which was unfortunately not enough to advance. Culhane has dominated nationally in recent years and this experience will stand to him on his return to the Irish singlet.

Day three promises to be another exciting day for Team Ireland with Nick Griggs (3,000m), Ava Rochford (High Jump), and Oisin Joyce (Javelin) all set to take to their finals tomorrow (Aug 9th).

• Day Two results are HERE

Irish in action: Day 3

Morning – Wednesday 9th August:

• Elizabeth Ndudi – Women’s Long Jump – Qualification – 06:05 (08:05)
• Anna Gavigan – Women’s Discus – Qualification Group B – 07:10 (09:10)
• Women’s 4x400m Relay – Round One – 07:40 (09:40)
• Men’s 4x400m Relay – Round One – 08:05 (10:05)
• Fintan Dewhirst – Men’s 400m Hurdles – Semi-Final – 08:49 (10:49)
• Victoria Amiadamen – Women’s 400m Hurdles – Semi-Final – 09:09 (11:09)

 Evening – Wednesday 9th August:

• Ava Rochford – Women’s High Jump – Final – 17:15 (19:15)
• Nick Griggs – Men’s 3000m – Final – 17:35 (19:35)
• Oisin Joyce – Men’s Javelin – Final – 17:50 (19:50)