Irish Examiner view: Golden era of Irish athletics may lie ahead

Sprinters Rhasidat Adeleke and Israel Olatunde respectively made the finals of the women’s 400m and the men’s 100m and broke Irish national records as well

Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke celebrates after her race at the European Championship in Munich. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher

There can be no doubt the collective performances of the Irish athletes at this week’s European Athletics Championships in Munich and the European Swimming Championships in Rome indicate we are headed for — if we are not already in — a golden era of our small country.

We may be used to winning medals at rowing — gold, silver and bronze — something which we achieved yet again in Munich, led by the startling exploits of Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy last Sunday.