Thomas Barr joins elite Irish club with University gold

Thomas Barr etched his name into the history books yesterday morning when becoming the fourth Irish athlete to win gold at the World University Games.

Barr held the tag of favourite when stepping onto the Gwangju track for the final of the 400m hurdles having posted the fastest time in Thursday’s semis.

And following a titanic battle with Algeria’s Abdelmalik Lahoulou coming down the home straight, the 22-year old Waterford native claimed gold in a time of 48.78, joining Ronnie Delaney, Sonia O’Sullivan and Niall Bruton in a most elite club.