Irish coaching has never been at a higher level

RARE SIGHT: The Ireland 4x400m relay team, from left, Chris O'Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley celebrate with their gold medals at the European Athletics Championships at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

It’s not always like this. Historically, it has very, very rarely been like this – the medals arriving not as single, isolated incidents, but with a consistency and bankability that’s rare and wonderful for Irish athletics.

Ireland claimed medals at just 12 of the 25 previous editions of the European Championships and before this week in Rome, only one athlete had ever won gold in the event’s 90-year history – Sonia O’Sullivan, who did it three times across the 1994 and 1998 editions.