Thomas Barr and Michelle Finn both secured spots their places at the Olympics in Tokyo with runs at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on Monday.
Barr ran 48.39 in the 400m hurdles as he beat Rasmus Magi in a sprint to the line. It is his fastest time in three years, and his third fastest time ever. Only in the 2016 Olympic final, when he ran his personal best of 47.97 as he finished fourth, and in the 2018 European final when he won bronze and ran 48.31, has he gone faster.
It continues a positive progression this season for the Waterford man. Last week, he ran 49.02 in Gothenburg.
"Now we’re suckin’ diesel!" he said on Twitter.
"Very happy with how things are progressing."
Thomas Barr runs his third fastest time ever
Here’s @tombarr247’s win at #paavonurmigames in full. Pics from the top-notch @yleisurheilu pic.twitter.com/0esHbYp55s
— Will Downing (@WillDowningComm) June 7, 2021
Also in Turku, Finn ran the second fastest 3000m steeplechase ever by an Irish woman as she finished inside the Olympic qualifying standard.
Only Roísín McGettigan's 9:28.29, run 14 years ago, is better than Finn's 9:29.25 from Monday.
See Also: Irish Relay Team Have Olympic Invite Rescinded After They Were Invited By Mistake
