When the dust has settled, the medals safely stowed away, the question is not so much about what Irish athletes achieved at last weekend’s European Indoor Championships, but how they did it.

As Irish teams go, this is a strong one, with three medal contenders lurking in their midst — and that’s before we get to Thomas Barr, an Olympic finalist and European bronze medallist.

A strong Irish team of 16 athletes have been selected for next month's European Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow.

The indoor 400m is renowned as a full-contact sport, with Thomas Barr feeling the full brunt of it yesterday in Abbotstown, as his bid for the Irish indoor title was shunted aside by rival Andrew Mellon.

Phil Healy and Ciara Mageean starred internationally with good early season form while there was a host of championship best performances at the Irish Life Health U20 & U23 Championships in Athlone over the weekend.