World Athletics Championships Selections

Athletics Ireland are delighted to announce a squad of 23 athletes for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest which run from August 19th – 27th 2023.

The Irish squad is the largest ever selected for a World Athletics Championships and will see the 23 strong team (which could rise to 26 in the coming days) take to competition alongside over 2,000 athletes from 200 countries at the brand new 35,000 capacity National Athletics Stadium in Budapest.

Spearheading the Irish challenge across the busy nine-day schedule will be European Championship medal winners Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn AC), Mark English (Finn Valley AC), and Thomas Barr (Ferrybank AC), while Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) and Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) will also look to continue their outstanding seasons.

Speaking at today’s team announcement, Athletics Ireland Director of High Performance, Paul McNamara said:

“With 16 individual athletes selected, and the potential for further additions in the coming days, plus two relay squads, this is the largest team we have sent to a World Championships, despite the higher qualification standards than any previous edition of this championships, and with 8 athletes inside the A standard.  This team includes multiple athletes, both seasoned campaigners and rising stars, that are primed to make an impact, building further on the upward trajectory seen in Oregon and Munich in 2022”.

Selections:

Athlete Name	Event(s)	Club	Coach
Rhasidat Adeleke	400m, W4x400m	Tallaght AC	Edrick Floreal
Sharlene Mawdsley	400m, Mx4x400m, W4x400m	Newport AC	Gary Ryan
Louise Shanahan	800m	Leevale AC	Phil O’Dell
Ciara Mageean	1500m	City of Lisburn AC	Helen Clitheroe
Sophie O’Sullivan	1500m	Ballymore Cobh	Mauricia Powell
Sarah Healy	1500m	UCD AC	Trevor Painter
Sarah Lavin	100mH	Emerald AC	Noelle Morrissey
Sophie Becker	Mx 4x400m, W4x400m	Raheny Shamrock AC	Jeremy Lyons & Gerard O’Donnell
Roisin Harrison	Mx 4x400m, W4x400m	Emerald AC	Eoghan McNamara
Cliodhna Manning*	W4x400m	Kilkenny City Harriers AC	Peter Lyons
Kelly McGrory	W4x400m	Tir Chonaill AC	Drew & Hayley Harrison
John Fitzsimons	800m	Kildare AC	Joe Ryan
Mark English	800m	Finn Valley AC	Feidhlim Kelly
Andrew Coscoran	1500m	Star of the Sea AC	Feidhlim Kelly
Luke McCann	1500m	UCD AC	Thomas Dreißigacker & Clark McCann
Brian Fay	5000m	Raheny Shamrock AC	Feidhlim Kelly
Thomas Barr	400mH	Ferrybank AC	Drew & Hayley Harrison
David Kenny	20km Walk	Farranfore Maine Valley	Rob Heffernan
Brendan Boyce	35km Walk	Finn Valley AC	Rob Heffernan
Eric Favors	Shot Put	Raheny Shamrock AC	Dane Miller
Chris O’Donnell	Mx 4x400m	North Sligo AC	Benke Blomqvist
Jack Raftery	Mx 4x400m	Donore Harriers	Jeremy Lyons & Gerard O’Donnell
Callum Baird	Mx 4x400m	Ballymena & Antrim	Ian Neely
The following athletes are provisionally selected should they be re-allocated a quota place by World Athletics, as they have achieved a B standard, but are not currently within quota.
Kate O’Connor	Heptathlon	Dundalk St Gerards AC	Michael O’Connor
Nick Griggs	1500m	Candour Track Club	Mark Kirk
Michelle Finn	3000mSC	Leevale AC	Feidhlim Kelly
Similarly, if any athlete on a relay team is re-allocated a quota place by World Athletics they will be selected.
* Selection subject to medical clearance.

Ciara Mageean will head to Budapest full of confidence having smashed Sonia O’Sullivan’s long standing national mile record last month with an incredible 4.14.58.

Mageean will be joined in the 1500m by European U23 medallists Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) and Sarah Healy (UCD AC) who have already provided Irish fans with two of the highlights of the season with their performances in Espoo and most recently at the National Track and Field Championships where they went toe-to-toe for gold and silver once more.

Mark English returns to the 800m and will be joined by the in-form and newly crowned national 800m champion John Fitzsimons (Kildare AC), while Thomas Barr returns to the 400m hurdles having looked very sharp in Morton last weekend.

Rhasidat Adeleke takes to her second World Championships having broken her own Irish 400m with a 49.20 in June to claim gold at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first Irish sprinter ever to win an NCAA title.

Much expectation has been put on the shoulders of the 20-year-old Tallaght sprinter, and while her appearance at Oregon 2022 is sure to stand to her at this year’s championships, the women’s 400m looks one of the hottest events in world athletics at present.

Adeleke will be joined in the 400m by Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) who has moved to another level this season, ranking 4th on the Irish all-time list thanks to her 51.34 in June. The Tipperary star also looks set to play a leading role in the relays.

Sarah Lavin is also no stranger to World Championship finals having made the world indoor 60mH final in Belgrade last year before following that milestone up with a superb European Games bronze medal in Poland earlier this summer. The Emerald AC athlete looked brimming with confidence at nationals and her recent 12.74 at the Diamond League in Monaco confirmed her place among the world’s elite of 100m hurdling.

The Irish relay teams have enjoyed tremendous success in global competition over the past two years, and the women’s 4x400m team looks particularly strong with Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock), Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC), Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers), Roisin Harrison (Emerald AC), and Kelly McGrory (Tir Chonaill) all selected.

Sligo’s Christopher O’Donnell will head a mixed 4x400m relay squad which has a blend of youth and experience as they go in search of back-to-back world finals. O’Donnell may also yet receive a quota spot in the individual 400m.

Andrew Coscoran (Star of the A.C.) broke his own Irish 1500m record with a sensational performance at the Silesia Diamond League meeting earlier this season, finishing fourth in a world class field in 3.30.42. The Balbriggan athlete will have sights firmly set on making the 1500m final later in the week.

Luke McCann (UCD AC) also goes in the 1500m and with the UCD athlete boasting a personal best of 3:34.76 from indoors, he is sure to have another big outdoor performance on the horizon. Ireland could have a third entry in the men’s 1500m should Nick Griggs be re-allocated a quota spot in the coming days.

Olympians Louise Shanahan (Leevale AC), David Kenny (Farranfore Maine Valley AC), and Brendan Boyce (Finn Valley AC) also return to global competition, as will recent Irish 5,000m record-breaker Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC).

The Dubliner produced the race of his life to finish second in a top-quality field last month, crossing the line in a time of 13.01.40 to break the record of Alistair Cragg which had stood since September 2011.

Irish throws will also be represented in Budapest with Irish shot put record-holder Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock) primed to bring his consistent run of form into his second World Championships.

For the first time ever, Virgin Media will broadcast live coverage of the World Athletics Championships, returning the event to Irish terrestrial television for the first time in decades. The Championships, which start on 19th August, will see Virgin Media present live coverage across all nine days.

• Schedule: Here
• Further event information: Here

World Championships

1983 5,000m Eamonn Coghlan GOLD 13.28.53

1993 1500m Sonia O’Sullivan SILVER 4.03.48

1995 5,000m Sonia O’Sullivan GOLD 14.46.47

2003 20km Walk Gillian O’Sullivan SILVER 1.27.34

2009 20km Walk Olive Loughnane GOLD 1.28.58

2013 50km Walk Robert Heffernan GOLD 3.37.58