European Championships
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What were the standout Irish performances at the European Championships so far?
Now it's been a strong few days for Irish athletes and swimmers at the European Championships. In Paris, Ellen Walsh won gold in the 400m individual medley, while Mona McSherry took silver in the 100 metres breaststroke. And in Birmingham, we saw some really impressive performances by the likes of Rashida Adelecki, Nicola Tutil, Mark English, and Lauren Roy. Well, to discuss these performances and more, we're joined by two-time Olympian and swimmers. commentator Andrew Bree and Irish Times Sports journalist Ian O'Reard and you're both very welcome to the programme. Andrew, or we'll start with you first, uh, Ian on this. We've seen some really encouraging performances um and I mentioned Birmingham there.
Uh so maybe we'll start with uh the track and field. Who stood out to you about the Irish team so far?
Yeah, thanks, Claire. Well, I mean, funny enough, I mean the first couple of days from an Irish Athletics perspective had been sort of underwhelming, let's say. We didn't actually get up to a a great start, hit the ground running whatever terms you want to use. Um obviously with the Charlene Mods, he had to withdraw before the championships. She was a big loss. Then we saw Sarah Healy finish fourth. in the five thousand meters. She was definitely gunning for a medal. Keen Mac Phillips also ran ran below his best in the eight hundred meters, but he was definitely suffering from a virus. So the first the first three days as I say were kind of we thought maybe there was a bit of a curse on this team, but um very much turned around last night.
All those performances um eclipsed dare I say by by Mark English coming out and winning his eight hundred meters semifinal. in the championship record and then Rashida Adelecke winning her semifinal in the two hundred meters. So that gets them both into the finals later on tonight, um within twenty minutes of each other. So hopefully by by the by by this time tomorrow morning we might be talking about two medals. But certainly up to this point, slightly underwhelming. But I think that could that could all change better this evening.
Yeah, that's brilliant and so exciting. It's great to to have um some Irish faces and real talent in the final and something to look forward to. Uh Nicola Tootil, there's another name I mentioned. She was fifth in the hammer, but that was uh her best ever senior championship finish, wasn't it?
Yeah, no, a big shout out to Nicola. I mean, she's one of these athletes who just quietly goes about her business in the women's hammer. Okay, it's not one of the headline events, but she was the youngest The youngest woman in that in that final at just twenty two. Um and she's been making huge progress. I think she was every major championship she's gone to, she's been getting better. So she was fifth last night, only about three meters away from a medal, which in the hammer is not a whole lot of distance, and that's well within her reach. So it's I think I think it's fair to say that it's only a matter of time before we're talking about Nicola Tuttle as as a medal winner. But but to go back to tonight.
I mean as I say, Mark English and Rashid Adelecke, two athletes that um at very different points in their career. I mean, Mark is thirty three, one of the oldest Irish athletes to make a final, whereas Adelecke seems like she's been around a long time, but she's still only twenty three. And it's great to see her back to her best. So it's two two different storylines there. But um no Irishman, believe it or not, no Irishman has ever won a European gold medal on the track. field. So marking this could make history. No pressure marks.
Why did the Irish athletics team have a slow start and how did it turn around?
No pressure.
But he but he i is he in with a realistic tr chance of doing it tonight, Ian?
Well look, I mean I've been following Mark over the last I think it's twelve years since he made his international debut at the European Championships in in Zurich. So he's been around a very long time. He's made five European finals before and he's won f uh five medals in each one of them. But they've been silver and bronze.
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