Trio of European medallists to lead Irish team at World Indoors

Athletics Ireland has announced a provisional team selection of eight athletes for the three-day event.

Tue, 11 Mar, 2025 - 10:59

Cathal Dennehy

First Europe, then the world. The trio of Irish medallists from last weekend’s European Indoors will lead the Irish team at next week’s World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

Athletics Ireland has announced a provisional team selection of eight athletes for the three-day event, which gets under way on Friday, 21 March, with Sarah Healy (3000m), Kate O’Connor (pentathlon) and Mark English (800m) all set to take their medal momentum to the global stage.

Healy and O’Connor both hit the automatic standards in their events, while English will receive a quota place in the 800m via his world ranking, the Donegal man currently sitting 17th on the ‘Road to Nanjing’ list, with 30 places available.

Cian McPhillips will also earn a spot in the 800m when those places are confirmed this week, the Longford athlete currently sitting 21st.

Sophie O’Sullivan is the sole member of the team who did not compete in the European Indoors, choosing to bypass the regional championships to focus on the World Indoors.

She is currently 32nd on the rankings list for the 1500m, with only 30 spots available, though it’s likely some of those ahead of her will not take up their place.

Sarah Lavin has twice made the final at the World Indoors, her best finish being fifth at last year’s event in Glasgow, and she will again contest the 60m hurdles after a fine fourth-place finish in Apeldoorn over the weekend.

Andrew Coscoran has been selected for both the 1500m and 3000m, while James Gormley is selected for the 3000m pending the allocation of a quota place, though that looks doubtful given he’s currently 34th on the rankings list, with only 15 places available in the straight final.

Irish team: World Indoor Championships, Nanjing, China