Team Ireland is Birmingham-bound as the country’s leading athletes prepare to take on Europe’s best at the 2026 European Athletics Championships from August 10–16.
More than 1,600 athletes representing over 50 nations will descend on Alexander Stadium for seven days of championship action, with Ireland carrying major medal hopes across track, field and road events.
World outdoor silver medallist Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St Gerard’s AC) will make her senior European outdoor debut in the heptathlon, fresh from securing Commonwealth Games gold. Her campaign gets underway with the 100m hurdles on Friday morning (August 14).
European medallists Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) and Mark English (Finn Valley AC) return to the continental stage in the 200m and 800m respectively. English will be joined by Cian McPhillips (UCD AC) in Monday’s opening round of the men’s 800m.
European indoor 3000m champion Sarah Healy (UCD AC) is entered in both the 1500m and 5000m, with her championships set to begin in Tuesday evening’s 5000m final.
Olympians Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) and Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) lead Ireland’s men’s 1500m challenge, while Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) begins her women’s hammer campaign in Monday evening’s qualifying round.
Ireland will field a formidable trio in Monday’s men’s 5000m final, with Darragh McElhinney (Bantry AC), Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) and Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) all taking to the start line.
Bori Akinola (UCD AC) heads to Birmingham after lowering his 100m personal best to 10.19 seconds this season. The national sprint star will make his individual European Championships debut after featuring on Ireland’s relay squad two years ago.
Back-to-back national 100m champion Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) leads the Irish women’s sprint challenge, while five-time Olympian Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole AC) adds another major championship to an extraordinary career when she contests Saturday’s marathon.
The European Athletics Championships take place at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, from August 10–16, with all seven days broadcast live across RTÉ television, RTÉ Player and Eurovision Sport.
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Photos : Sportsfile
