Ciara Mageean produces flying finish to win in Ostrava
FLYING FINISH: Ciara Mageean unleashed a superb finishing kick to lead home an Irish 1-2 at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on Tuesday. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Ciara Mageean unleashed a superb finishing kick to lead home an Irish 1-2 at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on Tuesday, a Continental Tour Gold event. Mageean clocked 4:01.98 to win the 1500m ahead of Sarah Healy (4:02.12), with Britain’s Revee Walcott-Nolan third in 4:02.42.
Mageean was several metres behind, in seventh place, as Healy made her move to the front with 150 metres to go, but in her first 1500m race since last September, the Portaferry native produced an impressive change of gears to catch Healy in the last 40 metres. Mageean made a flying start to her season last weekend by smashing the Irish 800m record in Manchester, clocking 1:58.51.
The 32-year-old will compete at the European Championships in Rome next week, where she’ll be one of Ireland’s leading medal hopes, having won 1500m bronze in 2016 and silver in 2022.
Luke McCann continued an impressive comeback from injury by finishing third in the men’s 1500m in Ostrava, setting a PB of 3:34.32 to move fifth on the Irish all-time list, while Sophie Becker clocked 51.82 in the 400m.
Mageean was named among an initial squad selection of athletes with the A standard on Tuesday, with roughly 10 athletes with the B standard due to be added after European Athletics produces its final list of qualifiers via the rankings system on Wednesday.
Rhasidat Adeleke will target the 400m in Rome, having previously weighed up competing over 200m, while the Dubliner is also listed for both the mixed 4x400m and women’s 4x400m. She will be joined in the 400m in Rome by the in-form Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker, who both recently smashed their 400m personal bests.
Previous European medallists Mark English and Thomas Barr are also entered, while Sarah Lavin will be another of Ireland’s leading hopes, having finished fifth in the European final two years ago. Four relay teams have been selected, with the mixed 4x400m looking particularly strong.
Andrew Coscoran will lead the Irish charge in the men’s 1500m alongside Nick Griggs and Luke McCann, while Brian Fay and Efrem Gidey will head the Irish challenge in the endurance events. Fionnuala McCormack, Sophie O’Sullivan and Cillín Greene are all bypassing the event, with McCormack and Greene both focusing on preparations for the Paris Olympics and O’Sullivan in action at next week’s NCAA Championships in Oregon. The European Championships will take place in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico from June 7-12.
“While the primary focus in 2024 firmly remains the Paris Olympic Games, the European Championships is a key event for us and one where we intend to further enhance our growing reputation as a nation at major championships, and make a statement of our performance intent,” said Paul McNamara, Athletics Ireland’s High Performance Director. “With four relay teams qualified and confirmed, and 22 individual athletes having achieved an A standard for this championship, we will be competing for honours across multiple events.
“We anticipate a further 10 or so athletes will be confirmed as qualified by European Athletics in the coming days. This would constitute the largest team we have ever sent to this championships, despite the increasingly demanding qualification standards, and is further evidence of the progress made by our sport.”
Rhasidat Adeleke (400m, Mx 4x400m, Women's 4x400m); Ciara Mageean (1500m); Sarah Lavin (100mH); Andrew Coscoran (1500m); Sarah Healy (1500m); Brian Fay (5000m & 10,000m); Sharlene Mawdsley (400m, Mx 4x400m, Women's 4x400m); Eric Favors (shot put); Efrem Gidey (10,000m); Sophie Becker (400m, Mx 4x400m, Women's 4x400m); Mark English (800m); Thomas Barr (400mH, Mx 4x400m, Men's 4x400m); Michelle Finn (3000mSC); Peter Lynch (10,000m); Luke McCann (1500m); Cormac Dalton (10,000m); Barry Keane (10,000m); Nick Griggs (1500m); Anika Thompson (10,000m); Phil Healy (Women's 4x400m, Mx 4x400m Reserve); Israel Olatunde (Men's 4x100m); Mark Smyth (Men's 4x100m); Toluwabori Akinola (Men's 4x100m); Marcus Lawler (Men's 4x100m) Colin Doyle (Men's 4x100m); Paul Costelloe (Men's 4x100m); Joseph Ojewumi (Men's 4x100m 1st Reserve); Christopher Sibanda (Men's 4x100m 2nd Reserve); Chris O'Donnell (Mx 4x400m, Men's 4x400m); Jack Raftery (Mx 4x400m, Men's 4x400m); Callum Baird (Men's 4x400m, Mx 4x400m Reserve); Phil Healy (Mx 4x400m, Women's 4x400m); Cillín Greene (Men's 4x400m); Sean Doggett (Men's 4x400m); Joe Doody (Men's 4x400m); Kelly McGrory (Women's 4x400m); Lauren Cadden (Women's 4x400m); Cliodhna Manning (Women's 4x400m Reserve).
Ryan Creech (Half Marathon); Israel Olatunde (100m) Mark Smyth (200m) Shona Heaslip (Half Marathon); Louise Shanahan (800m); Nicola Tuthill (Hammer throw); Hiko Tonosa (Half Marathon); Oisin Lane (20km walk); Roisin Flanagan (5000m); Emily Kearney (Half Marathon); Finley Daley (3000mSC); Elizabeth Ndudi (Long jump); Cian McPhillips (800m); Jodie McCann (5000m); Joe Mooney (20km walk); Cillian Kirwan (800m); Phil Healy (200m); Laura Mooney (10,000m); Jack Raftery (400m); Jenna Bromell (800m).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
