Cork's McElhinney and Nicholson among four Irish athletes to receive World Championship invitations
Darragh McElhinney (Bantry AC) and Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC) have both received invitations to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Pics: Sportsfile
Four Irish athletes have secured invites from World Athletics for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, with Efrem Gidey (10,000m), Darragh McElhinney (5000m), Laura Nicholson (1500m) and Sophie Becker (400m) all set to contest individual events at the year’s showpiece event, which begins at the Japan National Stadium on September 13.
All four had been outside their respective event quotas when the deadline closed last week and were waiting to see if other athletes would turn down their places. But they received invites from the world governing body over the weekend and will take the total number of travelling athletes to 28 – the biggest team Ireland has ever sent to the event.
McElhinney was just one spot shy of the 42-man quota in the men’s 5000m last week, but after other withdrawals he will now make his World Championships debut in Tokyo. He narrowly missed the Irish record when clocking 13:02.06 in Oordegem, Belgium, last month. The Glengarriff, Co Cork native also lowered his 3000m personal best to 7:35.16 in Budapest last month – a key performance that earned him sufficient points to secure a place.
Gidey will make his World Championships debut in the 10,000m. The 24-year-old Clonliffe Harrier was 32nd on the rankings list last week, with 27 spots available, but he has also earned a spot after several of those in front of him declined their place.
Nicholson needed a similar number to opt out to secure her spot in the women’s 1500m, and the Bandon athlete has been rewarded for her breakthrough season with a debut at this level. The 25-year-old, who spent the past two years at the University of Toledo, hacked four seconds off her 1500m best in April, clocking 4:07.17, and she claimed the national title in Santry last month.
Becker had already been selected for the mixed and women’s 400m relays but the Wexford sprinter has also now secured a spot in the 400m. The 28-year-old endured a difficult year with injury but made an impressive return in Brussels in May, opening her season with 51.69 for 400m. She also claimed the national title last month in 52.87.
Their inclusion brings to 21 the number of individual athletes Ireland will have competing in Tokyo, where multi-event star Kate O’Connor looks to hold the best chance of making an impact, while Mark English in the 800m and Sarah Healy in the 1500m will travel with the hopes of making a final. Rhasidat Adeleke will miss the event, having recently brought the curtain down on a difficult season that was blighted by injury.
Speaking at the team announcement, Athletics Ireland Director of High Performance, Paul McNamara said: “2025 has been an outstanding year for Irish athletes at European and global championships, and this group is set to continue that upward trajectory in Tokyo. With higher qualification standards than ever before we have 21 individual athletes selected, plus two relay squads, which is the largest team we have ever sent to a World Championships”.
McNamara continued: “It’s the first year of this Olympic cycle, and this team includes multiple athletes, both seasoned campaigners and rising stars, that are primed to make an impact as they build towards LA 2028.”
The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships will be broadcast live on RTÉ television for the first time this century.
Sarah Healy (1500m), Sophie O’Sullivan (1500m), Mark English (800m), Sarah Lavin (100m hurdles), Sharlene Mawdsley (400m, mixed 4x400m, women’s 4x400m), Cian McPhillips (800m), Cathal Doyle (1500m), Andrew Coscoran (1500m, 5000m), Kate O’Connor (heptathlon), Nicola Tuthill (hammer throw), Brian Fay (5000m), David Kenny (20km race walk), Oisin Lane (35km race walk), Eric Favors (shot put), Fionnuala McCormack (marathon), Hiko Tonosa (marathon), Peter Lynch (marathon), Darragh McElhinney (5000m), Efrem Gidey (10,000m), Laura Nicholson (1500m), Sophie Becker (400m, mixed 4x400m, women’s 4x400m), Rachel McCann (mixed 4x400m, women’s 4x400m), Jack Raftery (mixed 4x400m), Conor Kelly (mixed 4x400m), Cillín Greene (mixed 4x400m), Cliodhna Manning (women’s 4x400m), Michelle Duggan (women’s 4x400m), Jenna Breen (women’s 4x400m), Erin Friel (non-travelling reserve, women’s 4x400m), Ciaran Carthy (non-travelling reserve, mixed 4x400m).
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