Becker in need of speed as race for European Championships spot heats up

In attendance at the announcement of Clonmel Healthcare as the Official Healthcare Partner of Athletics Ireland are athletes, from left, Eric Favors, Sophie Becker and Sean Doggett. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

For Sophie Becker it’s now a race against time – in more ways than one. 

The 29-year-old Wexford sprinter has just 10 days left to secure the 400m qualification standard of 52.00 seconds for next month’s European Championships in Birmingham, and two attempts remaining.

The first will come at Sunday’s AAI Games in Santry, the second a week later when she will chase her fifth national outdoor 400m title on the last day of the qualification window. 

With a personal best of 51.13, this wasn’t how she expected it to be; Becker’s best this year being the 52.36 she ran in Belfast in May. 

But in this sport, things rarely go according to plan.

“This season has thrown quite a lot at me,” she says. “Health-wise, I’ve been struggling over the last few weeks.” 

That goes back to a diagnosis she got a few years ago, the details of which she’s not quite ready to go into, but it made training at her usual level a challenge in the early part of the summer. 

However, a 52.65 clocking at last week’s Morton Games and a strong speed session this week have told her the tide is turning.

“I’m feeling a lot more like myself now and with the treatment I’ve gotten, it’s starting to do its job,” she says. “You have to just roll with the punches and adjust to where your body is at. I’ve been so dedicated all season and for various reasons, it hasn’t gone to plan. But I’m confident I can get into the 51s before Birmingham.” 

Becker had a breakthrough season in 2024, helping Ireland to European silver in the women’s 4x400m and a fourth-place finish in the Olympic final in Paris. 

But much like her teammate Rhasidat Adeleke, she’s been beset by issues since – her 2025 season blighted by a navicular stress fracture and a hamstring tear.

“When I think back to Paris, it broke me and it broke a lot of us as well,” she says. “It’s such an intense year and I paid the price for it last year and maybe a little bit this year. I don’t think I’m alone in that.

"You can look at multiple athletes who are paying the price but the main thing: we keep showing up. I don’t like showing up and running slower than I know I can do, especially with a home crowd, but to toe the line when you’re not in the shape you want to be, that shows a lot of resilience.” 

Becker says it was “very admirable” of Adeleke to get on the line at the recent Eugene Diamond League, where she finished ninth in 52.26, and she says the Dubliner will "come back all the better for it”.

Another longtime teammate, Phil Healy, recently called time on her career and Becker got “very emotional” when the Cork woman told her the news.

“A lot of us 400m runners have to thank her, she was brave enough to try the 400m all those years ago. I trained with her quite a bit and seeing she was able to run a 52, then a 51, I was like, ‘Why can’t I?’ She was an amazing role model to have, a true trailblazer of our sport.” 

Sharlene Mawdsley has had better fortunes since Paris, the Tipperary sprinter enjoying the season of her life in 2026. 

“For Sharlene to be up there with the best in the world is so exciting,” says Becker. “She has just had a stellar season and it’s so exciting to see for her and, selfishly, for the relay as well – how it’ll benefit us.” 

Ireland is set to be absent from the mixed 4x400m in Birmingham – currently ranked ninth, with only eight teams qualifying – but Becker believes the women’s 4x400m team can again reach the podium, having run 3:23.83 at the World Relays in Botswana in May.

“We ran our third fastest time ever and I think we can build on that,” she says. “I think we can get into that final, for sure. If we can put in a performance similar to what we did in Botswana, I don’t see why a medal isn’t there for the taking.”

Sophie Becker was speaking at the launch of Clonmel Healthcare as the Official Healthcare Partner of Athletics Ireland.