European Athletics Championships 2018 - Irish Final Day Review

Lizzie Lee Leads Irish Women's Team to 8th Place

European Championships

Berlin

Sunday August 12th 2018

Athletics Ireland Release (1pm) - Feidhlim Kelly

Super Sixth for Men’s Marathon Team

The Irish men’s marathon team finished an excellent sixth at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin early this afternoon, Sunday August 12th.

Kevin Seaward (St Malachy’s) came through well, for a fine 15th place finish, in 2:16:58, to lead the team home, and continue his excellent championship form this year – this follows on from his fourth place finish in the Commonwealth Games marathon, for Northern Ireland, last April.

Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) was next home for the Irish, in 18th place, in 2:18:00, having been the leading Irish athlete for much of the race.

Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham), was 25th, in 2:18:58, and Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers), placed 36th, in 2:19:49, worked together early on alongside Kevin Seaward.

Paul Pollock went off slower, in a bid to try and come through, but it didn’t work out on this occasion, and he finished 47th, in 2:23:26. The men’s combined time was 6:53:55.

“I’m really happy with that today. I thought top ten, top 15 would be a good finish. I always try to perform to rank, or better, when going into a race, and I knew, with a sensible race today, I could do that. Well done to all the lads on the team today. They battled really hard for a very respectable 6th place."

The women’s team were 8th, led home by Lizzie Lee (Leevale), in 2:40:12, followed by Breege Connolly (North Belfast Harriers), in 31st place, in 2:41:53, and Gladys Ganiel (North Belfast Harriers) placed 33rd, in 2:42:42. Their combined time was 8:04:46.

Afterwards Lee said: “Position wise and time wise I was hoping for a bit better, but if you had told me I was going to finish at mile 22, I would have bitten your hand off.”

Conditions got progressively hotter throughout the race, which proved challenging for the runners, as the temperature got hotter, the further they went into the race.

Elsewhere, Caitriona Jennings (Letterkenny) and David Flynn (Clonliffe Harriers) won the national half marathon titles, as part of the Affidea Rock 'n' Roll Dublin half-marathon, in 82:25 and 68:51 respectively.

Athletics Ireland Release (8pm) - Feidhlim Kelly

Fighting fourth for Mageean

Ciara Mageean (UCD) was a fighting fourth in the women’s 1500m final in 4:04.63 with a gritty run that saw her just miss out on a medal on the final night of action at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin (August 12th).

“I’m bitterly disappointed but it was a good tough run,” said Mageean afterwards. The race was won by the heavy favourite Laura Muir (Great Britain & Northern Ireland) in 4:02.32.

Mageean was where she needed to be in the home straight in a savvy display and was just held off by Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui in second in 4:03.08 and Great Britain’s Laura Weightman in third in 4:03.75.

“It’s so disappointing but it’s given me a good boost for the years ahead running in the green, white and gold and I’m more determined than ever.”

It was also a bittersweet fourth for the women’s 4x100m relay team, , Phil Healy, Joan Healy (both Bandon), Ciara Neville (Emerald) and Gina Akpe-Moses (Blackrock-Louth), in their semi-final where they set a national record of 43.80.

The time was the fastest time never to make a European women’s 4x100m final in history and ranked them 9th overall. The team were naturally disappointed but excited about the future with such a good squad and two U20s in Ciara Neville and Gina Akpe-Moses as part of the line-up.

“Of course we are disappointed but there’s so much to build on,” said Phil Healy afterwards who completed her fifth race of the championship.

It rounded out a good championship for Ireland which, of course, included Thomas Barr's (Ferrybank) bronze medal but also a host of top 16 performances, season's bests, personal bests and a national record.

It has been a magnificent summer for Irish athletics winning medals at all the championships - European U18s, IAAF World U20s and the European Athletics Championships.
The team arrives back tomorrow (August 13th) on Ryanair flight FRFR8557 due in at 12:30 and Athletics Ireland encourages and welcomes everyone to celebrate a brilliant Irish team.

Athlete interviews are available on Athletics Ireland social media channels, and also on RTE, where there is extensive coverage of the championships.

Live timetable, results and live stream are on European Athletics

A history of the Irish at the European Athletics Championships

Irish European Championships Timetable

European Championships Preview and Irish Athletes Timetable 2018

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