Rhasidat Adeleke opts for 400m as Ireland sends large squad to European Athletics Championships

Rhasidat Adeleke has opted for one lap of the Stadio Olimpico in her quest to strike a European Championship gold medal. Spearheading an exciting challenge in the women’s 400 metres, she is among the large team of 53 Irish athletes set for the championships in Rome early next month.

Also qualified in the 200m, Adeleke has decided on her now specialist event, the 21-year-old Dublin sprinter keen to lay down some marker it seems for the Paris Olympics, which follow just over six weeks later.

Joining her in Rome, the championships set for June 7th-12th, are in-form pair Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker, with all three also selected in exciting 400m relay squads.

They are among the 37 athletes with A standards and the qualified relay teams, along with the 16 who have qualified via ranking position (and having achieved a B standard) will be confirmed after European Athletics produces its final list of qualifiers on Wednesday.

Previous championship medal winners Thomas Barr (400m hurdles), Ciara Mageean (1,500m), and Mark English (800m) are all set to return to European action, while two-time world indoor finalist Sarah Lavin (100m hurdles) will have sights set on making her second major championship final of the season.

The Irish relay teams have enjoyed notable success in global competition over the past 12 months, capped off most recently with the mixed 4x400m team claiming a brilliant bronze at the World Relays in the Bahamas. Four relay teams have been selected with the mixed 4x400m.

In the women’s 1500m, Sarah Healy will join Mageean in Rome, Mageean winning in Ostrava on Tuesday evening in 4:01.98, Healy second in 4:02.12, while Andrew Coscoran will lead the Irish charge in the men’s 1500m alongside Nick Griggs and Luck McCann, who ran a best of 3:34.32 in Ostrava.

Brian Fay will head the Irish challenge in the endurance events, with fellow Raheny clubmate Eric Favors returning from injury as he looks to post another big performance in the shot put. There are no marathons in the 2024 event, instead a half-marathon distance.

Irish team, European Athletics Championships, Rome, June 7th-12th

Rhasidat Adeleke – 400m, Mx 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m

Ciara Mageean – 1500m

Sarah Lavin – 100mH

Andrew Coscoran – 1500m

Sarah Healy – 1500m

Brian Fay – 5000m & 10,000m

Sharlene Mawdsley – 400m, Mx 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m

Eric Favors – Shot

Efrem Gidey – 10,000m

Sophie Becker – 400m, Mx 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m

Mark English – 800m

Thomas Barr – 400mH, Mx 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m

Michelle Finn – 3000mSC

Peter Lynch – 10,000m

Luke McCann – 1500m

Cormac Dalton – 10,000m

Barry Keane – 10,000m

Nick Griggs – 1500m

Anika Thompson – 10,000m

Phil Healy – Women’s 4x400m, Mx 4x400m Reserve

Israel Olatunde – Men’s 4x100m

Mark Smyth – Men’s 4x100m

Toluwabori Akinola – Men’s 4x100m

Marcus Lawler – Men’s 4x100m

Colin Doyle – Men’s 4x100m

Paul Costelloe – Men’s 4x100m

Joseph Ojewumi – Men’s 4x100m 1st Reserve

Christopher Sibanda – Men’s 4x100m 2nd Reserve

Chris O’Donnell – Mx 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m

Jack Raftery – Mx 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m

Callum Baird – Men’s 4x400m, Mx 4x400m Reserve

Cillín Greene – Men’s 4x400m

Sean Doggett – Men’s 4x400m

Joe Doody – Men’s 4x400m

Kelly McGrory – Women’s 4x400m

Lauren Cadden – Women’s 4x400m

Cliodhna Manning – Women’s 4x400m Reserve

Provisional Selections (pending confirmation from European Athletics):

Ryan Creech – Half Marathon

Israel Olatunde – 100m

Mark Smyth – 200m

Shona Heaslip – Half Marathon

Louise Shanahan – 800m

Nicola Tuthill – Hammer

Hiko Tonosa – Half Marathon

Oisin Lane – 20km Walk

Roisin Flanagan – 5000m

Emily Kearney – Half Marathon

Finley Daley – 3000mSC

Elizabeth Ndudi – Long jump

Cian McPhillips – 800m

Jodie McCann – 5000m

Joe Mooney – 20km Walk

Cillian Kirwan – 800m

Phil Healy – 200m

Laura Mooney – 10,000m

Jack Raftery – 400m

Jenna Bromell – 800m