All posts in European Championships

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.

Clonliffe will have representation on all three Irish men’s teams in Tilburg for Sundays European Cross Country. Sean O”Leary goes in the junior race, Cathal Doyle in the U/23 and seasoned campaigner Stephen  Scullion in the senior race.

Good luck to all the Irish athletes racing. The championships will be televised on RTE and livestreamed through European Athletics.

(Sean and Cathal December 8th)

Many congratulations to Cathal Doyle on his selection for the Irish U/23 team and Sean O’Leary on his selection for the junior team for the European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg in two weeks time. Athletics Ireland have also announced the selection of Stephen Scullion on the senior team. Nil desperandum.

Greta Streimikyte is the European 1500 (T13) Champion! At last night`s World Para European Championships in Berlin Greta won the 1500 in a time of 4.48.54 to win by a margin of over 10 seconds. This was Greta`s first global gold medal having taken bronze back at these championships in 2016 and later that summer  was 4th in the Paralympic Games in Rio.

Clonliffe`s Valdas Dopolskas running for Lithuania had a fine run indeed in this morning`s European Marathon in Berlin. Valdas was 20th in 2.18.58. Sergiu Ciobanu will be somewhat disappointed with his run finishing 36th in 2.19.49.

Other Irish: Kevin Seaward 15th (2.16.58), Mick Clohisey 18th (2.18.00), Sean Hehir 25th (2.18.58), Paul Pollock 47th (2.23.26). Race winner was Koen Naert (BEL) in a championship record of 2.09.51. In the team result Ireland placed 6th with Italy taking gold.