Ireland crown excellent week at Olympics with silver medal

CHARLOTTE Ffrench O’Carroll crowned an excellent week for Ireland at the European Youth Olympics in Belgrade, Serbia, with a silver medal in the girl’s 3,000m last night.

In searing heat, Ffrench O’Carroll ran 9:37.89 to finish second behind Latvia’s Daniela Fetcere.

That brought Ireland’s medal tally to four, an excellent return with over 3,000 elite U-17 athletes from over 40 nations taking part in all the disciplines.

Noel Collins produced a first-rate performance in taking 14 seconds off his personal best to win the silver medal in the boys’ 2,000m steeplechase in 5: 52.06.

Niamh Whelan from Co Waterford also ran a lifetime best to win the bronze medal in the girl’s 100m final in 11.87.

Whelan also performed very well in reaching the final of the 200m.

Gráinne Murphy of Limerick also won bronze in swimming in the girl’s 400m freestyle in a new Irish junior record of 4: 21.89.

Kourosh Foroughi later made it five medals for Ireland with a bronze medal in the high jump with a leap of 2.08.