Early error ruins Sarah Lavin's medal dreams at European Championships

The 30-year-old Limerick athlete clattering the second barrier with her lead leg. with that, her chance was gone, the momentum lost.

Sat, 08 Jun, 2024 - 22:10

Cathal Dennehy, Rome

At this level one mistake is fatal, and Sarah Lavin got an unwelcome reminder of that at the European Championships in Rome on Saturday night, the 30-year-old Limerick athlete clattering the second barrier with her lead leg, ending her medal hopes in the 100m hurdles final.

With that, her chance was gone, Lavin running on and doing her best but having to settle for seventh place in 12.94. That left her trailing far behind French champion Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who powered to victory in a championship record of 12.31.

Samba-Mayela, who is coached by Dubliner John Coghlan, will now be a leading hope for a home gold at the Paris Olympics.

Lavin was fifth in the European final two years ago and fifth at the World Indoor final in Glasgow earlier this year, and while she does have an international medal – a bronze at last year’s European Games – this championship carried far more significance. It was a huge chance, and one she missed.

“I got out well to the first hurdle, smashed the second and lost all momentum – the race was gone,” said Lavin.

“I’m so much better than that and I didn’t get to put it out. But if losing didn’t hurt, winning wouldn’t matter. That was a bad run.”

Ireland’s Sarah Lavin in action. Pic Credit: Morgan Treacy, Inpho.

Earlier in the night, she had swept to victory in her semi-final in 12.73, equalling her season’s best, but in truth, with 12.42 winning bronze, it would have taken something seismic for Lavin to reach the podium and keep the good times rolling for the Irish in Rome.

But still, with eight weeks to go until she lines up at the Paris Olympics, it was proof she’s in a very good spot – better than she’s ever been at this point of the season. Her chances of making a final on the biggest stage of all remain alive and well.

Elsewhere, Brian Fay produced a flying last lap in the 5000m final to finish 14th in 13:29.48, though he was much too far back before he discovered that extra gear. The race was won by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen in facile fashion in 13:20.11, and he will be back in action in the 1500m in the days ahead.

Israel Olatunde bowed out of the men’s 100m after finishing sixth in his semi-final in 10.40, well shy of what he needed to advance. Earlier in the day, Chris O’Donnell made an impressive turnaround after the mixed relay gold medal on Friday night – despite having had just one hour of sleep – to advance from his 400m heat, clocking a season’s best of 45.69 to finish fourth advance to Sunday night’s semi-final, where he will face a much stiffer assignment.

“After last night, such a high, I didn’t really know what to expect and to get a big season’s best shows I brought the spirit of last night into this morning,” said the Sligo native.

“That was what was going through my mind. The history we created last night, the buzz. We had to enjoy the moment because we are not European champions every day of the week but at the same time I had to kind of park it and look at his morning. I got barely any sleep but I was still riding that wave and it hasn’t crashed yet.”

Watch: 'Stuff of dreams' as Ireland's 4x400m Relay heroes receive gold medals in Rome

Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, the reigning Olympic champion, thrilled the home crowd by delivering gold in the men’s 100m final, clocking 10.02 to beat his teammate Chituru Ali (10.05).

In the men’s 20km race walk, Oisin Lane came home 23rd in 1:25:02, a race won by Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom, who is coached by Ireland’s former world 50km champion Rob Heffernan. Karlstrom clocked 1:19:13.

“It was a good experience,” said Lane. “I didn’t really have a good season of training, in February I got a chest infection which stayed with me for two to three months. I didn’t really have the mileage coming in, I knew I didn’t have the fitness going in but I set off and PB pace and said I’d see how it goes.

"I kept that for 8K and then died off a bit, but I was happy I kept on. The conditions worked in my favour, I came through and picked off a few people in the end.”

Lane hopes to team up with Kate Veale for a mixed marathon relay where they will chase Olympic qualification, with Veale’s recent attempt derailed due to an injury early in the race to teammate Brendan Boyce.

European Athletics Championships

Live, RTÉ Two, BBC Red Button Irish in action, Sunday (all times Irish)

8.00am: Hiko Tonosa, men’s half marathon

8.30am: Shona Heaslip, women’s half marathon

8.30am: Emily Haggard Kearney, women’s half marathon

9.05am: Nicola Tuthill, women’s hammer qualification

10.50am: Mark Smyth, men’s 200m heats

11:40am: Kelly McGrory, women’s 400m hurdles heats

12.20pm: Thomas Barr, men’s 400m hurdles heats

7.05pm: Rhasidat Adeleke, Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker, women’s 400m semi-finals

7.38pm: Chris O’Donnell, men’s 400m semi-finals

8.35pm: *Mark Smyth, men’s 200m semi-finals