Bori Akinola through to 100m semi-finals with fastest time at European Championships

Already part of the semi-final line-up is Israel Olatunde with those races scheduled from 8.32pm on Tuesday.

PACE SETTER: Ireland’s Bori Akinola celebrates winning. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy.

Tuesday morning Irish focus at the Alexander Stadium revolved exclusively around Bori Akinola. The 25-year-old did not disappoint. His 10.39 clocking purchased him a lane in this evening’s 100m semi-finals.

While Akinola has represented Ireland at European and World Indoor level, and ran the lead-off leg for the relay quartet at the 2024 Europeans in Rome, this morning’s 100m heats was his first time competing individually at a major outdoor championship.

His debut in that particular context, and into unfavourable wind conditions (-2.8 m/s), was to post the fastest time across the three heats and progress as the fastest of the 12 semi-final qualifiers.

“The plan today was to just come out, get the job done, go into the semis in good form and with no injuries, and light it up again,” said Akinola.

“The headwind felt strong at the start. Running 10.39 into -2.8m/s, I am happy with that. If the wind was flipped, it would have been a much better time, maybe a PB, but we’ll see later on this evening.

“The amount of Irish fans screaming, it did feel just like home. I’d love to make the final. As long as I come out here and run a PB [his current lifetime best is 10.19 from May], I’ll be happy. Just execute and let the nerves go and just run the best race I can.”

Already part of the semi-final line-up is Israel Olatunde, the Irish record holder reaching the final at these championships four years ago in Munich.

Those 100m semi-finals are in the schedule from 8.32pm.

From a morning of miniscule Irish involvement to a potentially medal evening.

Sarah Healy might be a novice over 5,000m, but her proven 3,000m pedigree and 1,500m speed mean a podium finish is a distinct possibility for the 25-year-old.

Doubling up at these championships, Tuesday’s 5,000m final (7.25pm) will be just the second time Healy races over the 12-and-a-half-lap distance as a senior athlete.

Her maiden outing at the Rome Diamond League in early June was also her 2026 season opener.

A “humbling” experience and education saw her cross 17th in 14:48.88. A “humbling” outing, mind, that elevated her straight up to second on the all-time Irish list, behind Sonia O’Sullivan.

More importantly, it’s a time that places her third on the list of season’s bests among the 23 women that will crouch slightly before the sound of the gun later today.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti is the literal runaway gold medal favourite. The defending champion is also a World bronze medalist over the distance, as well as a World and Olympic silver medalist over 10,000m.

Dutch middle-distancer Maureen Koster clocked a hugely impressive 14:33.56 at the same Diamond League meeting in Rome where Healy cut her competitive 5,000m teeth.

That, though, was a race taken out from the gun and maintained by the best of Ethiopia.

In the significantly slower race expected here, Healy should have the final lap wheels on Koster, and so many more of the field. Her recent 3,000m PB of 8:25.63, from last month’s London Diamond League, points to a graph primed for medal contention.

Is her collection of 2025 European Indoor 3,000m gold, European U18 double gold over 1,500m and 3,000m, and silver at European U20 and U23 level about to welcome a fresh addition?

“I feel like I definitely have potential in the 5k so I just wanted to explore it a bit this year,” Healy said recently.

“At the end of the day, I just wanted to race in the races where I’m most competitive.”

Elsewhere on Tuesday evening, Jack Raftery is in 400m semi-final action at 9.08pm. His PB of 44.98 will need to be rewritten to secure a final lane.