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.

But then along came that mixed relay team, along came Ciara Mageean, along came Rhasidat Adeleke, sending Ireland rocketing up the medal table, announcing to the superpowers of European and world athletics that come the Paris Olympics, they’ll be doing a lot more than just filling lanes.

Talk of a golden generation should be laced with caution. After all, Ireland has had a rake of world beaters down through its history, from Sonia to Catherina, John Treacy to Eamonn Coghlan, Dr Pat O’Callaghan to Bob Tisdall. But right now, it feels like their ranks are replete with athletes for whom qualifying for championships and making it through a round or two is no longer considered any kind of achievement.

They want to be in finals, winning medals, and enjoying those magical podium moments we’ve grown accustomed to in recent days at the Stadio Olimpico. For all the greats who occupy the pantheon of Irish athletics, the reality is that right here, right now, the sport has never been stronger.

Yes, there was a time where Ireland’s long-distance runners ranked up there with the world’s best, and that’s no longer the case, but that’s just one small facet of a wide and varied sport. Now Ireland is winning medals in sprints, relays, middle-distance, with more field eventers announcing their presence too, from European U20 long jump champion Elizabeth Ndudi to Nicola Tuthill, who made the European hammer throw final at the age of just 20.

The euphoric atmosphere was prevalent inside and outside the Stadio Olimpico last night. In the hours before the evening session, Mageean walked out beaming the brightest smile she’s ever carried, witnessing the fans waving the tricolours and singing along as she enjoyed her golden moment. Inside the stadium, Tuthill, Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley gave it their all in European finals, Adeleke underlining her brilliance once again with a silver medal in the 400m.

SECOND GOLD FOR IRELAND: Ciara Mageean of Ireland celebrates with supporters and her gold medal after winning the Women's 1500m final during day four of the 2024 European Athletics Championships at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

What has underpinned the rise in standards? There’s no doubt that generational talents like Mageean and Adeleke are a huge reason, and while both of them are based abroad these days, under the guidance of foreign coaches, both were developed to international class by multiple Irish mentors before they moved away.

Never before has Irish coaching been at a higher level, and while there remains much distance left to run to professionalise those structures, Athletics Ireland deserves huge credit for the manner in which the average club coach across the country has been upskilled to a higher level in recent years.

Then there’s participation numbers. Athletics has never been more popular. Last year Athletics Ireland’s membership hit its highest figure ever, 63,578, and this year it’s already hit 60,000 and counting – June being the earliest in the year they’ve ever reached that milestone.

Couple the fact that more athletes than ever – especially youngsters – are participating with the fact that coaching is better than ever and the result is a rise in standards. But the mentality also feels different.

Thomas Barr has noticed it. He says “more and more people are accessing athletics” these days, adding that lots are coming to it from team sports, often with the goal of improving their speed, before they “end up staying”. He also cites improved media coverage, with few nations giving athletics as good of an airing as Ireland, and the impact of inspirational performances from top athletes, showing the younger generation a pathway to the top.

Then there’s that mentality in the Irish camp. “Often when I was younger and when we were making finals, that was like, ‘wow, this is amazing,’” he says. “If we were top-eight in Europe or top-12 in the world, that was always seen as a really big achievement, but we've raised our standards. Now it's like, ‘I'm disappointed not to make a final and there's going to be people who are disappointed for me not making a final.’ It's where we should be aiming.” 

And it’s where they are aiming. The future looks bright, and laced with many more medals.