Ireland’s 4x400m relay team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley have secured a silver medal at the European Championships in Rome with a new national record time of 3:22.71NR.
The performance sealed a historic championships for the Irish, marking the best ever medal haul from an Irish team at a Europeans. Tonight’s silver added to the gold medals of Ciara Mageaan (1500m) and the mixed relay team (4x400m), alongside Rhadisat Adeleke’s silver in the 400m.
With the pressure of a country watching in exception, the women’s relay team ran a superb race to claim the silver, smashing the old 4x400m record by a staggering 1.7 seconds.
Becker was fast out of the blocks and recorded a spit of 52.00, with Lieke Klaver (NED) ensuring the Netherlands led at the first changeover.
Adeleke (49.36) received the baton for Ireland’s second leg and ran a storming 400 before handing over to Healy (51.51) with a slender lead for the penultimate leg.
A smooth changeover from Healy to Mawdsley (49.84) saw Ireland chasing down the Netherlands who were anchored by world indoor 400m record holder Femke Bol.
Mawdsley ran yet another superb final leg, briefly looking as though she may challenge for gold coming into the final 50 meters, ultimately settling for a superb silver medal for the Irish.
Ireland also had five athletes take to the men’s 10,000m with Efrem Gidey leading the way for Ireland. The Clonliffe athlete went with the leading pack until 8000m before an injection of pace saw Gidey slip back through the field.
Gidey would stick to his task bravely to cross the line in 12th in 28:16.94. Brian Fay was 20th, Barry Keane finished 21st, Peter Lynch was 22nd and Cormac Dalton recorded a 24th-place finish.
Reigning Olympic and European champion Jakob Ingebrigsten dictated the men’s 1500m, winning in a championship record of 3:31.95 with Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran crossing in 13th in 3:34.76.
Results Summary, June 11th
- Women’s 4x400m Relay – Final – 2nd in 3:22.71 NR
- Efrem Gidey – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 12th in 28:16.94 (A Race)
- Brian Fay – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 20th in 28:40.53 (A Race)
- Barry Keane – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 21st in 28:53.34 (A Race)
- Peter Lynch – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 22nd in 29:02.00 (A Race)
- Cormac Dalton – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 24th in 29:15.30 SB (A Race)
- Andrew Coscoran – Men’s 1500m – Final – 13th in 3:34.76
Full results list can be found HERE.
Full Results Summary
Athlete |
Event(s) |
Overall Placing |
Result (in final appearance) |
Note |
Ciara Mageean | 1500m | 1 | 4:04.66 | Gold |
Mixed 4x400m | Relay | 1 | 3:09.92 | Gold + NR / CR |
Rhasidat Adeleke | 400m | 2 | 49.07 | Silver + NR |
Women 4x400m | Relay | 2 | 3:22.71 | Silver + NR |
Sarah Lavin | 100mH | 7 | 12.94 | 12.73 = SB in SF |
Sarah Healy | 1500m | 7 | 4:06.77 | |
Sharlene Mawdsley | 400m | 8 | 51.59 | |
Nicola Tuthill | Hammer Throw | 9 | 69.09m | |
Sophie Becker | 400m | 10 | 51.54 | |
Men 4x400m | Relay | 10 | 3:04.41 | SB |
Efrem Gidey | 10,000m | 12 | 28:16.94 | |
Andrew Coscoran | 1500m | 13 | 3:34.76 | |
Men 4x100m | Relay | 13 | 39.34 | SB |
Brian Fay | 5000m | 14 | 13:29.48 | |
Eric Favors | Shot Put | 14 | 19.60m | |
Mark Smyth | 200m | 16 | 20.86 | SB X 2 |
Thomas Barr | 400mH | 16 | 49.61 | 49.31SB in Heats |
Jodie McCann | 5000m | 17 | 15:29.25 | PB |
Israel Olatunde | 100m | 19 | 10.40 | 10.31 SB in Heat |
Anika Thompson | 10,000m | 20 | 33:19.42 | |
Oisin Lane | 20km Walk | 23 | 1:25:02 | |
Michelle Finn | 3000mSC | 24 | 9:46.93 | SB |
Chris O’Donnell | 400m | 24* | *Semi-final DQ | 45.69SB in Heats |
Mark English | 800m | 25 | 1:46.73 | |
Laura Mooney | 10,000m | 26 | 34:13.15 | |
Phil Healy | 200m | 27 | 23.51 | |
Brian Fay | 10,000m | 27 | 28:40.53 | |
Nick Griggs | 1500m | 28 | 3:46.66 | |
Louise Shanahan | 800m | 28 | 2:04.81 | |
Kelly McGrory | 400mH | 31 | 57.10 | PB |
Barry Keane | 10,000m | 31 | 28:53.34 | |
Peter Lynch | 10,000m | 32 | 29:02.00 | |
Shona Heaslip | Half Marathon | 34 | 1:12:19 | SB |
Cormac Dalton | 10,000m | 35 | 29:15.30 | SB |
Hiko Tonosa | Half Marathon | 43 | 1:05:42 | |
Emily Haggard Kearney | Half Marathon | 64 | 1:17:04 | SB |
Ireland claimed medals at 12 of the 25 previous editions of the European Championships and before this week in Rome, only one athlete had ever won gold in the event’s 90-year history – Sonia O’Sullivan.
- 2024 Gold – Mixed 4×400 (Chris O’Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Tom Barr, Sharlene Mawdsley)
- 2024 Gold – 1500m Ciara Mageean
- 2024 Silver – 400m Rhasidat Adeleke
- 2024 Silver – Women’s 4×400 (Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy, Sharlene Mawdsley)
- National Records x 3 (Mixed Relay, Women’s Relay, Rhasidat Adeleke)
- 12 Season’s Bests + 3 Personal Best’s