Cork stars make Irish team for upcoming European Athletics Championships in Birmingham

Several international medallists including Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St. Gerard’s AC), Mark English (Finn Valley AC) and Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) headline a strong Irish team for the upcoming European Athletics Championships.

All three athletes were named by Athletics Ireland today in an initial team selection for the event which takes place in Birmingham from August 10th-16th.

The announcement confirms the selection of athletes with ‘A’ standards, while athletes qualifying via ranking position and having achieved the Athletics Ireland ‘B’ Standard will be confirmed after European Athletics produces its final list of qualifiers on July 30th.

O’Connor had a dream season in 2025, the highlight of which was her silver medal in the Women’s Heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. 

The Dundalk woman set a national record of 6714 points to win Ireland’s first medal at the championships since 2013. 

The 25-year-old backed that up by winning bronze in the Women’s Pentathlon at this year’s World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, setting a national record (4839 points) on her way to the bronze medal.

English has been in the shape of his life this season and looks poised to contend for a third medal at the European Athletics Championships in the Men’s 800m. 

The Donegal man goes into the event with the fastest time in Europe this year, his 1:42.97 clocking at the London Diamond League shaved 0.4 of a second off his personal best.

Adeleke made a welcome return to Irish soil at last weekend’s 123.ie National Senior Track and Field Championships needing to run 22.85 seconds to hit the 200m ‘A’ Standard for Birmingham and despite a stiff headwind managed to do so, winning gold in a championship record of 22.80. 

The Tallaght sprinter is also selected as part of the Women’s 4x400m relay team.

There is strong strength in depth in the sprint events. Israel Olatunde (Tallaght AC) and Bori Akinola (UCD AC) are both selected in the Men’s 100m. 

Olatunde holds the national record of 10.08, while Akinola has progressed this year lowering his best to 10.19. Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) broke the national record over 200m earlier this year by running a time of 20.27 in Texas. 

The 20-year-old is selected to run in that event in Birmingham and also in the Men’s 4x100m relay, where he will be joined by Olatunde and Akinola amongst others.

Lauren Roy (Fast Twitch AC) is the national leader for 2026 in both the 100m and 200m. 

She is provisionally selected in the 100m but her spot in the 200m is assured following her 22.83 run earlier this season. 

The Ballymena woman will also be part of an exciting Women’s 4x100m relay which also features back-to-back national champion Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) who will also run in the Women’s 100m should her place be confirmed by European Athletics later this week.

Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) is selected in the Women’s 400m and relay. The 27-year-old has been in the form of her life this season lowering her personal best to 50.06 on her Diamond League debut in Paris in June. 

The Tipperary sprinter pulled up during the Women’s 200m final at the National Championships and her participation in Birmingham will be dependent on full fitness.

Sprint hurdler Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) won her 20th national senior title last weekend and will compete in the Women’s 100m Hurdles once again at the European Athletics Championships, an event in which she was fifth in back in 2022.

Cian McPhillips (UCD AC) joins Mark English in the Men’s 800m. 

The Longford native is finding form at the right time of the season, his 1:43.97 run at the London Diamond League recently was his third fastest time ever. 

McPhillips finished fourth at the World Athletics Championships last year in a huge national record of 1:42.15 and will look to go one step further and claim a podium place at these championships.

Fellow national record holder Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) made the world final in the Men’s 1500m last year and looked superb in claiming victory in that event at Nationals. 

The Manchester based athlete is selected for the event in Birmingham and will hope for a strong performance.

European indoor 3000m champion Sarah Healy (UCD AC) is set to double up in the Women’s 1500m and 5000m. 

The 25-year-old has set personal bests over 3000m (8:25.63) and 5000m (14:48.88) this summer and with a dangerous kick could pose a significant threat in the twelve and a half lap event. 

Healy is joined in the 1500m by Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) who stormed to her second national senior title last weekend at Morton Stadium last weekend in an impressive season’s best.

Darragh McElhinney (Bantry AC) and Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) are assured of their spots in the Men’s 5000m. 

Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) will join them should his place be confirmed once the final ‘Road to Birmingham’ rankings update.

Five-time Olympian Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole AC) goes in the Women’s Marathon, while there will be an Irish men’s team for the event as national champion David McGlynn (Waterford AC) will be joined by Ryan Creech (Leevale AC) and Paul O’Donnell (Dundrum South Dublin AC).

Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) leads the charge for Team Ireland in the field events. 

The world finalist competes in the Women’s Hammer Throw, where she has continued to close in on the national record this year. 

The 22-year-old has a personal best of 72.73m set in Poznan, Poland this summer.

Ireland’s rich tradition of race walking looks set to continue in Birmingham with David Kenny (Farranfore Maine Valley AC) and Oisin Lane (Mullingar Harriers) both likely to compete in the Men’s Half Marathon Race Walk.

Commenting on the team announcement Athletics Ireland High-Performance Director, Paul McNamara, said:

“We are excited about the prospects for this cohort of athletes at what is essentially a local championship for athletes and supporters. 

"The team includes many seasoned performers who have delivered medals at the highest level, and many others who are hungry to replicate that success. 

"With a probable final team size of approximately 50 athletes, and no fewer than 20 athletes who have achieved A standards, this will be a week of non-stop action as Irish athletics continues to build on its upward trajectory."