Athletics

Solid start to competition for Team Ireland at the European Games in Krakow

Sharlene Mawdsley got the Irish involvement at these European Games off to an excellent start

Ireland's Sharlene Mawdsley in action at the 2023 European Games in Krakow, Poland. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Tue Jun 20 2023 - 18:03

Team Ireland currently sits in second position in the Division Three standings after the first 12 events at the European Games in Krakow, Poland on Tuesday. The Irish team are three points behind leaders Austria. This is the first of three days of competition for the athletics team.

Doubling up as the European Team Championships, Team Ireland’s 44-strong athletics team are competing in the event with the main objective of moving out of Division 3.

Bandon woman Nicola Tuthill threw a huge lifetime best in the first round of the Hammer Throw to improve her national Under-23 record in the event to 67.85m. The throw was good enough to secure the teenager a second-place finish, earning valuable points in the process.

“I’m delighted with that,” she said after the event. “I had a pretty consistent performance so I’m really happy with that. It’s my first senior international. It’s such a nice atmosphere, everyone’s just rooting for you.”

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Sharlene Mawdsley got the Irish involvement at these European Games off to an excellent start when she took victory in the Women’s 400m to earn a maximum 15 points for the team. The Tipperary native was a class above the rest as she crossed the line in 51.55. “I’m delighted that I was able to kick the team off and start it this way, it’s amazing,” she said.

In the men’s 400m Jack Raftery finished third in 46.76. Kilkenny’s Aoibhe Richardson tackled the gruelling 12 and a half lap 5000m race, finishing in third running 16.45.02.

Lisburn athlete Lauren Roy and Dundalk’s Israel Olatunde both ran strongly in the 100m. Roy finished third in 11.82, while Olatunde finished in second just outside his season’s best as he clocked 10.37.

Rocco Zaman-Browne crossed the line in third in the men’s 800m in a respectable 1.50.16, while Sligo’s Finley Daly finished just outside his personal best in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase placing second in a time of 8.51.41.

Mayo’s Michaela Walsh finished second in the Shot Put, Dubliner Niamh Fogarty was fourth in the discus, Jai Benson finished seventh in the Triple Jump, while Wexford’s Michael Bowler was fourth in the Pole Vault.

RESULTS

Sharlene Mawdsley – 1st – Women’s 400m – 51.55

Jack Raftery – 3rd – Men’s 400m – 46.76

Aoibhe Richardson – 3rd – Women’s 5000m – 16.45.02

Rocco Zaman-Browne – 3rd – Men’s 800m – 1.50.16

Finley Daly – 2nd – Men’s 3000m Steeplechase – 8.51.41

Lauren Roy – 3rd – Women’s 100m – 11.82

Israel Olatunde – 2nd – Men’s 100m – 10.37

Michaela Walsh – 2nd – Women’s Shot Put – 15.26m

Niamh Fogarty – 4th – Women’s Discus – 51.24m

Jai Benson – 7th – Men’s Triple Jump – 14.84m

Michael Bowler – 4th – Men’s Pole Vault – 4.30m

Nicola Tuthill – 2nd – Women’s Hammer Throw – 67.85m

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