All posts in European Championships

Clonliffe Harriers welcomed back home to Santry our European Cross Country bronze medalist Efrem Gidey last night. At a reception held before training Efrem’s extraordinary achievement was outlined by the club Secretary, who noted that Efrem was the first Clonliffe athlete to win an individual cross country medal at a major championship, he also thanked on both the club and Efrem’s behalf Joe Cooper for his coaching and mentoring of Efrem and the athletes in the training group who had made Efrem part of the Clonliffe family since his arrival in Ireland. Club Captain and Coach Joe Cooper then made a presentation to Efrem on behalf of the whole club.

The large attendance of young Harriers then availed of photo opportunities with Efrem and that medal! A really nice enjoyable occasion.

Clonliffe Harriers welcomed home to Dublin Efrem Gidey this evening. There was a great turn out at Dublin Airport including Efrem’s coach Joe Cooper, club President Paddy Marley, club coaches and athletes to congratulate an emotional Efrem, proudly wearing that precious bronze medal, the first ever individual cross country medal won by a Clonliffe athlete in a major championship. The club also welcomed home Cathal Doyle, who competed in the U/23 race, Eoin Pierce had already travelled back home to England from Lisbon.

Club members will have the opportunity to welcome Efrem home to Santry before training in Thursday night.

European U/20 Bronze medallist, Clonliffe’s first ever individual European Cross Country medallist, Efrem Gidey arrives home to Dublin Airport from Lisbon, with the Irish teams, T1 at 5.15pm this evening. Please Clonliffe Harriers come along to welcome him home.

Also on Thursday evening before training all club members, in particular, our juveniles can welcome Efrem and that precious medal back to Clonliffe. See you all there.

A journey of hope, a journey of resilience. From Eritrea to Lisbon via Clonliffe Harriers and Santry. Between these stops was despair, loneliness and fear. A refugee. A young boy. An athlete wearing the colours of Clonliffe Harriers and now an international star wearing the green of his adopted land. Around his neck a bronze medal: European U/20 bronze! Efrem Gidey has done himself, his club and this country proud.

Today’s European cross-country Championships have proven to be possibly the most successful for Irish athletes ever. Efrem led that medal charge in the first race of the morning the men’s U/20 European championship. From the gun Efrem was up with the lead pack, including red-hot favourite Jakob Ingerbrigsen (NOR) chasing his fourth title. In the early stages Efrem had several other Irish vest for company as the U/20s laid down the marker for the day. At halfway Ingerbrigsen upped the pace considerably to blow the race apart and stretch out the chasing pack, Efrem chasing manfully pulled away and with 500 to go looks certain to medal, possibly even to take silver, with Ingerbrigsen 40 seconds clear and already finished Efrem was still in bronze and held off the chasers. The Irish team at one stage were announced as bronze medallists only to lose on count back in heartbreaking fourth.

Clonliffe’s other representatives also put in fantastic battling performances. Cathal Doyle was 71st in the U/23 race as the Irish team finished seventh. Seventh place also for Eoin Pierce and the Irish team of John Travers, Nadia Power and Amy O’Donoghue in the mixed relay.

On a fantastic day for the whole Irish team Stephanie Cotter also took individual bronze in the women’s U/23 race leading the Irish team to silver. The senior women went one better, led home by the irrepressible Fionnula MacCormack in fourth place to another magnificent team silver. The senior men placed 13th with another outstanding run by Sean Tobin in 18th. The women’s U/20 team placed 11th.

Congratulation to the whole Irish team today once again athletes has put Irish sport back in the spotlight.

Cathal Doyle will benefit enormous from his first major track championship. Cathal was 10th in his 1500 heat at the European U/23 champions in Gavle, Sweden in 3.49.25 on Thursday evening. Although he doesn’t progress to the semis and he will be undoubtedly disappointed this has been a breakthrough season for him. Having competed at this level in cross country already the step up to track and field is huge and the experience he has gained will stand to him in the future.

A good learning curve also for Thomas Pitkin in the 400. Thomas placed 6th in his heat in 48 23, again someway off his seasons best but likewise he will benefit from this in the long run.

Clonliffe multi eventer Rolus Olusa has won European League 1 team silver with team Ireland at the European Multi Event team championships held in Maderia over the weekend.

Ireland finished behind Belgium and ahead of Denmark 3rd, Romania 4th and Turkey 5th.

Rolus put in a brilliant performance in the decathlon to record a new PB of 6626 points. His results in each event make most impressive reading: 100 11.36, long jump 6.77m, shot 11.44m, high jump 1.80m, 400 51.84, 110h 15.28, discus 37.88m, pole vault 4.00m, javelin 45.82m and 1500 4.58.08.

Huge congratulations to Cathal Doyle and Thomas Pitkin both of whom this morning has been selected by Athletics Ireland to represent Ireland at the European U/23 track and field championships in Gavle, Sweden on July 11-14. Both athletes have been in excellent form this season Carl Doyle having taken huge strides forward at the end of last season and having continued that form into this season and race after race has lowered his 1500 PB to 3.42.64. Likewise 400 man Thomas Pitkin has impressed enormously with a starring part in the 4 x 400 relay for Clonliffe at the European clubs. Similarly he has steadily lowered his 400 time which now stands at 47.50 courtesy of his last race on June 23. Thomas has been selected in both the 400 and the 4 x 400 relay squad. We wish our boys the very best of luck in Sweden.

An excellent run by Sean O’Leary in Tilburg in the last few minutes saw him take a superb 18th place, 3rd scorer for Ireland, as the team finished a most emcouraging 5th place.

Cathal Doyle also had a fine run in the U/23 race to finish in 51st place. Cathal was 4th scorer on the Irish team that finished 6th only 6 points off bronze!

Unfortunately Stephen Scullion has picked up a viral infection and will not compete in tomorrow’s European Cross Country.

The good news is that both Sean O’Leary and Cathal Doyle are both fit and well and are looking forward to the challenge in Tilburg. Sean goes in the junior race with Cathal in the U/23. Live coverage on RTE from 12.00.