Nick Griggs claimed silver for Ireland in the 3000m at the European U20 Championships in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
The Tyrone native - who started the final as favourite - finished behind winner Jonathan Grahn of Sweden and ahead of third placed Bradley Giblin of Great Britain at the Givat Ram Stadium.
The race was run at a pedestrian pace until the final lap when it turned into a sprint for gold. Griggs took the lead on the back straight but was overtaken by Grahn in the home straight. Grahn won in 8:44.67 while Griggs finished in 8:45.69, nearly 50 seconds slower than his personal best for the distance.
Griggs was the defending champion. He won a surprise gold for Ireland as a 16-year-old two years ago in Tallinn.
"It was tactical," said Griggs.
"I don't know what happened but I was never in a great position the whole race. I tried to move up. I took it on with 300m to go, tried to burn him but Jonathan is a really good athlete, he's ran a 3:37 (1500m) - he's got speed. It wasn't my day but hopefully there at plenty more days to come. Congratulations to Jonathan and everyone else.
"I felt good and then my legs just went with about 150m to go. I saw him come past me and I tried to fight and fight. I need to work on that last 100m strength. It's two races in a row now where I've just been outkicked in a similar way.
"This was driving me [this season], to come and defend my title here. I did it two years ago. I'm disappointed. The overriding goal this season was to win this title and I didn't get it done. I'll take some time to reflect and then I'll be Budapest in 10 days' time."
17 July 2021; Nick Griggs of Ireland celebrates with his Team Ireland team-mates after winning gold in the final of the men's 3000m during day three of the European Athletics U20 Championships at the Kadriorg Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia. Photo by Marko Mumm/Sportsfile
Already this year, Griggs had set Irish U20 records in the 1500m, mile, 3000m and 5000m. He will make his Irish senior international debut at the World Championships in Budapest later this month having secured a place in the 1500m through his world ranking.
Having finished school, Griggs plans to take a year out and train full-time with qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris his aim.
"If anyone asked me, ‘What are you going to be when you’re older?’, I didn’t even say a pro athlete. I didn’t know what a pro athlete was. I just said, ‘I’m going to be an Olympian’," said Griggs.
“To say I could achieve that at 19 would mean everything to me, and even if I didn’t make it next year and I made it when I was 23, it would mean the world.”
It's silver for Nick Griggs at the European U20s as he gets outkicked in the 3000m by Sweden's Jonathan Grahn, who clocks a 52-second last lap - including an early celebration - to take gold.
Griggs is the first Irish athlete ever to medal at two editions of the championships. pic.twitter.com/TyZqt4C74u— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) August 9, 2023
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