Mawdsley selected on Irish squad for European Championships

Athletics Ireland have this confirmed a final 47-strong team for the upcoming European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, England.

The championships take place at the Alexandra Stadium from August 10th to 16th and will see several international medallists including Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St. Gerard’s AC), Mark English (Finn Valley AC) and Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) don the green vest.

Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) is selected in the Women’s 400m and Women’s 4x400m Relay, but her participation is still dependant on full fitness.

A further 14 individual athletes who were provisionally selected have now been confirmed as qualified by European Athletics having either achieved the Athletics Ireland ‘B’ Standard or having either been selected in another individual event or relay team (therefore not requiring the ‘B’ Standard).

Bori Akinola (UCD AC) has lowered his personal best in the Men’s 100m to 10.19 seconds this season and makes his individual debut at the European Athletics Championships having competed in the relay two years ago. Back-to-back national senior 100m champion Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) is selected for the women’s event and will also be part of a strong relay team.

Over one lap, Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC) and national champion Rachel McCann (North Down AC) will all compete, while Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers) will go in the Men’s 200m.

Olympians Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) and Jodie McCann (Dublin City Harriers) will join teammates in the Men’s and Women’s 1500m. Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) will race once more against Europe’s best in the Men’s 5000m.

Abbie Sheridan (St. Peter’s AC) has had a breakthrough season and has earned her first Irish call-up in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase. Niamh Allen (Leevale AC) will compete in her first European Championships on the track over 25 laps, as she races the Women’s 10,000m.

Fellow endurance athletes David McGlynn (Waterford AC) and Ryan Creech (Leevale AC) have been selected to join Paul O’Donnell (Dundrum South Dublin AC) in the Men’s Marathon.

Meanwhile, Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock AC) will compete in his third straight European Athletics Championships as he throws in the Men’s Shot Put.

Moyne AC's Katie Bergin will travel as a non-travelling reserve for the Women's 4x100m Relay team.