European Athletics Championships 2014, Irish Involvement on Day 6

Sunday August 17th 2014

Today's Meet Schedule: European Athletics Championships Schedule (EAU website)
TV coverage for week

Today's Irish Involvement:

Good Irish involvement today, with four Irishmen going in the Marathon, Paul Pollock, Sean Hehir, T Frazer & K Seward.  The afternoon sees Cork's Ciaran O Lionaird go in the mens 1500m, along with Paul Robinson.  The Mens 4x400 team are our final representatives in these championships, going at 14:42.

Paul Pollock withdrew, last night, from the Marathon, due to injury, however the remaining trio of Sean Hehir, Kevin Seaward & Thomas Frazer ran well to place 7th in the Europa Cup.  Read the race report on the Athletics Ireland website

The afternoon session saw Ciaran O Lionaird and Paul Robinson go in the flagship event, the mens 1500.  In a tactical race with 13 starters, there were bound to be casualties.  Unfortunately, Ciaran O Lionaird proved to be one of those.  Having just taken over the lead, he appeared to be clipped from behind, and seemed to suffer an achilles or calf injury, he stumbled and eventually fell to the track grasping his lower leg, and was later seen to be getting treatment on the track.  Meantime the race progressed and Mekissi-Benabbad, the Frenchmean, took the lead.  At the bell, there were further fallers, with three more going down.  The Frenchman went for Gold and gave everyone a clean pair of heels.  Robinson was back in seventh place at this stage, but surged in the last 250m to get into medal contention.  In the finishing straight, it looked like he might just do it, but the fast finishing Briton, Chris O'Hare, pipped him for Bronze.

The mens 4x400 team ran another great race to break the National Record for the second day in succession and finish in 5th place, taking the scalp of Germany.  Splits: Brian Gregan, 45.7, Mark English, 45.0, Richard Morrissey, 45.55 and Thomas Barr, 45.31; aggregate time: 3:01.67, NR
Morning 7:45 AM          
  8:00 AM Marathon M Final Paul Pollock, Sean Hehir, Thomas Frazer, Kevin Seaward
Sean Hehir, 20th, 2:17:59, Kevin Seaward, 28th 2:20:30, Thomas Frazer, 35th, 2:22:33 Irish Team: 7th, 7:01:02
Evening 1:45 PM          
  2:00 PM Shot Put W Final  
  2:05 PM 1500m M Final Ciaran O Lionaird, Paul Robinson Paul Robinson, 4th, 3:46.35, Ciaran O Lionaird, DNF
  2:16 PM High Jump W Final  
  2:22 PM 4x400m Relay W Final  
  2:42 PM 4x400m Relay M Final Team Panel: Mark English, Thomas Barr, Brian Murphy, Craig Lynch, Brian Gregan, Richard Morrisey Brian Gregan, 45.7, Mark English, 45.0, Richard Morrissey, 45.55 and Thomas Barr, 45.31 - 5th, 3:01.67, NR
  2:56 PM Long Jump M Final  
  3:08 PM 3000m Steeplechase W Final  
  3:11 PM Javelin Throw M Final  
  3:30 PM 5000m M Final  
  4:05 PM 4x100m Relay M Final  
  4:22 PM 4x100m Relay W Final  

TV Coverage:
Time Channel
0745-1030 Eurosport
0845-1030 BBC2
1230-1345 Eurosport
1345-1545 Eurosport
1345-1650 BBC2
2300-2345 Eurosport
1100-1230 Eurosport
1400-1600 Eurosport 2