Rhasidat Adeleke will be one of Ireland's standout medal hopefuls at the European Championships in Munich later this month after it was confirmed that the nineteen-year-old sprint sensation will travel to the German capital for the event.
There had been some doubts as to whether or not Adeleke would compete due to the long season she has had but those fears were allayed when Athletics Ireland announced their team for the championships today.
Rhasidat Adeleke to compete at European Championships
Adeleke will compete in the individual 400m, as well as being part of the women's 4x400m relay team. The Tallaght AC athlete holds the national records over 60m, 200m, 300m, and 400m and her participation will no doubt be a boost to the entire team.
Last month Adeleke just missed out on making the world final in the 400m finishing ninth overall and the nineteen-year-old will understandably feel she can contend for a medal on the basis of that performance.
The team, which is the largest Ireland has ever sent to a major senior athletics championships, includes thirty-one individual athletes as well as two relay teams. Ireland will have several other medal chances.
💥STRONG IRISH TEAM SELECTED FOR EUROPEAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS💥
Athletics Ireland are delighted to announce a squad of over 35 athletes for the upcoming @EuroAthletics Championships in Munich on August 15-21⤵️https://t.co/yVr0WQDDkk#munich2022 #ec2022 @ECMunich2022 pic.twitter.com/ulTTK0FF0l— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 3, 2022
Mark English is selected to race in the 800m. English ran very impressively to finish tenth in the event at the World Championships having shown few signs of form this season. The Donegal ran 1.44.76 in his heat just 0.05s off his own Irish record. Having medalled at the European Championships before, English will now feel confident that he can do so again.
Thomas Barr will compete in his fifth successive European Championships. Barr was far from impressed with his showing at the World Championships in Eugene, finishing fifth in his semi-final of the 400m Hurdles. Having finished fourth at the Olympics in Rio back in 2016 and won bronze at the European Championships in 2018, Barr will be aiming to conjure up some magic in Munich.
Sarah Lavin is selected in the 100m Hurdles. Lavin is currently having the season of her life. She finished fifth in her semi-final of the Women's 100m Hurdles at the World Championships but has ran multiple personal bests this season including a 12.84s clocking at the Cork City Sports earlier this month. The Limerick woman is chasing down Derval O'Rourke's Irish record of 12.65s. Lavin has the ninth fastest time in Europe this season but finished as fifth fastest European in Eugene and will be hoping to run even quicker in Munich to challenge for a medal.
Rhasidat Adeleke expected to feature on relay team
The depth in the women's 4x400m relay is extremely promising. Rhasidat Adeleke will be joined in the squad by Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, Sharlene Mawdsley, Cliodhna Manning and Roisin Harrison all of whom have ran under 53 seconds this season.
Ciara Mageean will be hoping to better her fourth place finish in the 1500m from the last edition of the European Championships in 2018. Mageean is entered in the 800m and 1500m. She recently clocked 1.59.03 for the 800m in a mixed race in Manchester. Exciting young athlete Sarah Healy is also selected in the 1500m.
Fionnuala McCormack will make her sixth appearance at a European Championships in the Women's Marathon. McCormack previously won gold two years in a row at the European Cross Country Championships in 2012 and 2013.
The full Irish team selected for the European Championships is as follows:
Fionnuala McCormack - Marathon
Rhasidat Adeleke - 400m & 4x400m Relay
Thomas Barr - 400mH
David Kenny - 20km Walk
Louise Shanahan - 800m
Sarah Healy - 1500m
Kate O'Connor - Heptathlon
Chris O'Donnell - 400m
Sarah Lavin - 100mH
Mark English - 800m
Luke McCann - 1500m
Hiko Haso - 10,000m
Brendan Boyce - 35km Walk
Brian Fay - 5000m
Darragh McElhinney - 5000m
Andrew Coscoran - 1500m
Eilish Flanagan - 3000mSC
Michelle Finn - 3000mSC
Efrem Gidey - 10,000m
Aoife Cooke - Marathon
Phil Healy - 400m & 4x400m Relay
Ciara Mageean - 800m & 1500m
John Fitzsimons - 800m
Ann Marie McGlynn - Marathon
Hugh Armstrong - Marathon
Sophie Becker - 400m & 4x400m Relay
Marcus Lawler - 200m & 4x100m Relay
Alex Wright - 35km Walk
Israel Olatunde - 100m & 4x100m Relay
Roisin Flanagan - 5000m
Eric Favors - Shot Put
Sharlene Mawdsley - 4x400m Relay
Cliodhna Manning - 4x400m Relay
Roisin Harrison - 4x400m Relay
Joseph Ojewumi - 4x100m Relay
Mark Smyth - 4x100m Relay
Colin Doyle - 4x100m Relay
Leon Reid - 4x100m Relay
Paul Costelloe Non-travelling reserve - 4x100m Relay
Kelly McGrory Non-travelling reserve - 4x400m Relay
