12th for Gidey, 13th for Coscoran in Euro finals

Efrem Gidey, left, and Brian Fay of Ireland compete in the men's 10,000m final at the 2024 European Athletics Championships at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

In a race of huge depth, and significant quality, Efrem Gidey led the Irish charge home in the men’s 10,000m at the European Championships in Rome last night. The 23-year-old, a rising star of Irish distance running, finished 12th in 28:16.94 in a race won by Switzerland’s Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu – a former member of the Athlete Refugee Team – in 28:00.32.

Gidey had finished sixth in this same race two years ago in Munich but given the strength in the line-up this time, that was always going to be a tall order for the Clonliffe Harrier, who was born and raised in Eritrea but who fled the conflict there in 2016, arriving in Ireland in 2017 and receiving citizenship in 2019.

There was disappointment for Brian Fay, who was doubling back after the 5000m, the Raheny athlete finishing 20th in 28:40.53. He was followed home by Irish teammates Barry Keane (21st in 28:53.34), Peter Lynch (22nd in 29:02.00) and Cormac Dalton (24th in 29:15.30).

Andrew Coscoran finished 13th in the final of the men’s 1500m, clocking 3:34.76. The Balbriggan man surged into contention up the back straight but ultimately didn’t have the legs to match the leaders coming home, with Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen claiming his second gold of the week in 3:31.95, having won the 5000m several days earlier.

It was another memorable night for the host nation, Italy powering to gold in the final track event, the men’s 4x100m, clocking 37.82. They topped the medal table with a remarkable 11 golds, with France in second. Ireland finished 10th on the medal table with their two golds and two silvers and 16th on the placing table, which awards points for the top eight.

The British quartet took gold in the women’s 4x100m, while Belgium – anchored by individual 400m champion Alexander Doom – claimed victory in the men’s 4x400m. 

In the women’s 800m, Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson proved a class apart, even if she wasn’t at her brilliant best, having picked up a cold during the event. “I was lying in my bed and I was like: ‘Can I run?’” she said. “I just decided to give it a go.” The Olympic silver medallist controlled the race and kicked off the front to take victory in 1:58.65.

Swedish star Mondo Duplantis proved a class apart in the men’s pole vault, the Olympic and world champion winning his third European title.