Hurdler Barr leads 45-strong Irish team into European battle in Tallinn

Irish 400m hurdles record holder Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) will headline an Irish team of 45 athletes at the European Team Championships 1st League in Tallinn, Estonia this weekend.

The Irish team will face Estonia, Belarus, Greece, Norway, Romania, Portugal, Finland, Belgium, Hungary, Slovenia and Lithuania during the two-day competition, with the top three finishing teams earning promotion to the following year’s Super League — the top division.

The official target of a top- five finish will be difficult but there is a strong line-up in the running events, with Mark English (UCD) and Paul Robinson (St Coca’s) set to compete for the men in the 800m and 1500m respectively.

Double European Cross-Country Champion Fionnuala Britton (Kilcoole AC), fresh from a personal best over 3,000m (8:50.80) at the IMC meet last Saturday will contest the 5,000m in Estonia.

Steven Colvert, as has been reported, was forced to withdraw from the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay due to a positive test for EPO. The Irish Sports Council has confirmed there is no formal support on offer in terms of their welfare, ie legal, counselling etc if they have an adverse finding in their test.

“The anti-doping programme exists to protect the health and reputation of athletes,” said a spokesperson for the Irish Sports Council.

“Counselling is another matter, it is not part of the formal process. There is no formal support; an adverse findings leads to a process which has its own rigor and nothing can take place which could compromise that process.”