Opportunities beckon at Europeans
The European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam (July 6-10) starting on Wednesday will provide the platform for Ireland’s biggest ever team to grasp the opportunity to compete on the international stage.
The team has almost doubled in size from the Europeans in Zurich in 2014 where 27 athletes competed. 49 Irish athletes will don the green vest in Amsterdam – Ireland’s largest ever team at these championships.
This increase in numbers has a good blend between experienced athletes and the next generation of Irish athletes which has formed part of the successful implementation of the Athletics Ireland High Performance programme.
There has been a significant investment in the high performance programme as a result of the association’s commercial activities in addition to the support of Sport Ireland.
High Performance Director Kevin Ankrom is pleased with the development that now sees 150 athletes on the High Performance programme – a trebling in number of the initial wave of athletes on the performance pathway from youth and juniors right up to seniors.
“We have made great progress in the last couple of years which now sees us blood the next generation of Irish athletes,” said Kevin Ankrom on the development of the High Performance programme.
“There will be full men’s and women’s relay teams for the first time there is great blend between established athletes such as Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) and Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) to athletes starting their journey on the senior international stage like Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD).”
This pipeline of athletes sees the championships create a platform of opportunities for the largest squad in Irish athletics’ history.
The men’s 4x400m relay team has the opportunity to copper fasten its place at the Olympic Games in Rio while female distance runners Deirdre Byrne (Sli Cualann), Mary Cullen (North Sligo) both in the 5,000m, Tara Jameson (Sli Cualann) and Fionnuala McCormack, both in the 10,000m should provide the backbone of the European Cross Country Championships team next December.
“We hope with a bit of luck we can have some outstanding performances with athletes reaching semis and finals in this championship,” said Ankrom. “Given the right situation on the day anything is possible for our athletes to battle for a medal who are in a final.
“I also believe this championship will provide an excellent opportunity for athletes to have an impact on the European stage.
“Ciara Mageean (UCD) and Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) will also be using the European stage to get back to their best. Mageean is back on track to fulfil her potential while Barr is in need of races after recovering from injury.”
Mageean competes in the 1500m where a final berth and top 8 placing are well within her compass while Barr is battling back from injury. The World Universities Champion could still spring a surprise but the goal will be to return to race sharpness ahead of the Olympic Games.
The championships will have extensive live coverage on RTE 2 for the duration of the five-day event.
European Youth and World Junior teams announced
Meanwhile teams have also been selected for the European Youth Athletics Championships on July 14-17 in Tbilisi, Georgia and the World Junior Athletics Championships in Bygosczc, Poland on July 19-24.
The European Youth Championships selections are as follows:
The 2016 European Youth Championship Selections
Gina Akpe-Moses (Blackrock & Birchfield) 100m
Ciara Neville (Emerald) 100m
Aoife Lynch (Donore Harriers) 200m
Janine Boyle (Finn Valley) 200m
Emma O'Brien (Slí Culainn) 1500m
Amy O'Brien (Inbhear Dee) 2000m S/C
Molly Scott (St. L O'Toole) 100m hurdles
Arlene Crossan (Finn Valley) 400m hurdles
Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) High Jump
Niamh Fogarty (North Westmeath) Discus
Shannon Sheehy (Cushinstown) Heptathlon
Kate O'Connor (Dundalk St. Gerards) Heptathlon
Niamh O'Connor (Celbridge) 5K Walk
Orla O'Connor (Waterford) 5K Walk
David McDonald (Menapians) 100m
Aaron Sexton (North Down) 200m
Luke Morris (Newbridge) 200m
Jamie Mitchell (Emerald) 400m
Alex Clarkin (Donore Harriers) 110m hurdles
Kevin McGrath (Bohermeen) 800m
Rory Lodge (Kilkenny City Harriers) 800m
Bobby Crowley (St. L O'Toole) 1500m
Charlie O'Donovan (Leevale) 1500m
Craig McMeechan (North Down) 3000m
Micheal Power (West Waterford) 3000m
Cathal Locke (Dooneen) 400m hurdles
Ryan Carthy-Walsh (Adamstown) High Jump
Darragh Gaffney (North Westmeath) Discus
Brendan O'Donnell (Lifford) Hammer
Daniel Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo) Decathlon
Gearóid McMahon (Shannon) 10K Walk
World Junior Athletics Championships
Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport) 200m
Jenna Bromell (Emerald) 400m
Mollie O'Reilly (DSD) 400m
Carla Sweeney (WSAF) 800m
Louise Shanahan (Leevale) 800m
Michaela Walsh (Swinford) Shot put
Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) Heptathlon
Adam King (Iveragh) Hammer
Owen Russell (St. Andrew's) Hammer
Pierre Murchan (Celtic DCH) 5000m
Jack O'Leary (Mullingar Harriers) 5000m
Women’s 4x100m relay: Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport), Ciara Neville (Emerald), Gina Akpe-Moses (Blackrock & Birchfield) Molly Scott (St. L O'Toole), Janine Boyle (Finn Valley), Lauren Ryan (Dooneen)
Men’s 4x100m relay: Eoin Doherty (Tallaght), Joseph Ojewumi (Tallaght), Sean Lawlor (Donore Harriers) Cillin Greene (Galway City Harriers) David McDonald (Menapians)
