by Perri Williams
It has been another eventful and fruitful week in the Irish athletics world. From Diamond Leagues to Continental Tours and beyond. Records were broken, qualifying standards obtained, and personal bests achieved. The nation continues to rally behind our athletes offering support and enthusiasm to this wonderful sport. The highlight of the week was Mark English’s magnificent Irish record in the 800m and Sophie O’Sullivan winning the NCAA 1500m.
MONDAY: FBK GAMES HENGELO
The week started on a high with Mark English (Finn Valley) literally smashing the Irish record over 800m at the FBK Games in Hengelo last Monday. He became the first Irish athlete to break the 1:44 barrier. It was his speed and confidence over the final 50m that demonstrated a new dynamic to English’s running. Coming from third he breezed past Peter Sisk (Belgium) and Yanis Meziane (France) to take the victory and ultimately take half a second off his own Irish record. Since his 2024 season English has made some positive changes that seem to be working. One major change was a move to Australian coach Justin Rinaldi and a continued break from his medical career. He is well within the automatic qualifying standard of 1:44.50 for the Tokyo World Championships. At the same meeting Orla Comerford won the para 100m in a new seasons best of 11.96 seconds.
TUESDAY: ACTION FROM CZECHIA, PORTUGAL AND FRANCE
Tuesday saw several athletes in action across multiple meets with both Fintan and Ethan Dewhirst (Tir Connaill AC) gaining the B qualification standards for their respective European u23 and u20 400m hurdles.
Sophie Becker and Louis O’Loughlin were in action at the World Continental Bronze Tour meet in Czechia. In windy conditions Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrocks) won the ladies 400m in a time of 51.83 seconds. While slightly outside her seasons best recorded in Belgium last month, the Raheny athlete is running consistently since deciding to train as a full-time athlete. Louis O’Loughlin returning from his scholarship in the US clocked 1:48.38 to finish 6th.
On the same night at the Meeting Citade de Lisboa in Portugal, there was success for Tir Connaill AC’s brothers Fintan and Ethan Dewhirst over the 400m hurdles. Fintan finished 5th in the A race clocking 51:49 giving him the B qualifying standard for the u23 400m hurdles. Ethan won the B race with 52.14 which sees him gain a European u20 B standard. Katie Doherty (DSD) finished 3rd in the 100m hurdles in a time of 13:78 just two tenths of a second behind her time from two days earlier in Poland. Sean Donoghue had an easy victory in the 1,500m in a time of 3:43.34. The Dubliner has a best of 3:39.96 recorded in Santry last July.
In France, Jodie McCann finished 6th over the shorter distance of 1,500m at the meeting de Montreuil. Her time of 4:09.95 is just marginally outside her personal best of 4:08.34 that she recorded in February 2024 in Australia.
WEDNESDAY: ACTION FROM NORWAY, CROATIA, ENGLAND AND FINLAND
There were two major highlights on Tuesday; Nichola Tuthill breaking the Irish u23 hammer record in Lahti (Finland) and Ava O’Connor breaking the u23 steeplechase also in Lahti.
At the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting, Nicola Tuthill (Bandon) threw 71.71m, nearly 1.5m further than the record she set in 2024. The Bandon AC athlete finished third overall and, in the process, gained a World Athletics Championship B standard for Tokyo. In the same meeting Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers) finished 3rd in the Steeplechase clocking 9:45.00, a new national u23 record. This betters the previous mark of 9:46.22 which she ran in April. The third Irish athlete in action in Lahti was Cillian Greene. Greene finished 2nd in a time of 46.89 seconds.
Meanwhile in Oslo in the pre-programme to the Diamond League Raheny’s Orla Comerford clocked a lifetime best of 11.87 in the para 100m. Heading south to Croatia, Finn Valley’s Lauren Callaghan jumped 5.85m in the Long Jump to finish 4th in the Salix Sub Astra in Vrbovec.
Lauren Callaghan jumped out to 6.03m for sixth at the Envol Trophée meet in France.
Sarah Healy competed in a mixed 800m race at the BMC meet in Trafford, where she finished with a time of 2:00.87. This time was just 0.01 seconds shy of her personal best. The race was part of the BMC Trafford Gold Standard meeting, where Healy competed against seven U20 men in this mixed race.
THURSDAY: DIAMOND LEAGUE OSLO
The Diamond League in Oslo took centre stage with both Mark English and Rhasidat Adeleke on the startlists.
Mark English gained entry to the main 800m race on the back of his excellent Irish record three days earlier. Competing a notch up, he ran a valiant race to finish 7th, clocking 1:44.33 his second fastest 800m ever. The pressure was on for Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) as she opened her season over 400m in Oslo. Her time of 50.42 while it is behind her personal best (and Irish national record) is a season’s opener with three months to go before the World Championships in Tokyo.
SATURDAY: NCAA FINALS, BMC BELFAST, BRAGA and NIVELLES
Taking centre stage on Saturday while most of the nation were tucked in bed asleep was the NCAA finals in Oregon. Sophie O’Sullivan emulated what only three other Irish female athletes have ever achieved: An NCAA individual title. O’Sullivan made no secret of her desire to claim that title. There was no Irish record, only a magnificent title and the prestige that accompanies it. Both mother (Sonia) and daughter now hold individual NCAA wins. Sonia of course has four: Cross-Country, indoor and two outdoor over 3,000m. Over the four days of the NCAA competition other Irish representatives competed.
Meave O’Neill (Doheny) who has been running so consistently this season finished 5th in the semi-final of the 800m. The Doheny AC athlete clocked a personal best of 2:03.04 en route to the NCAA finals. She was marginally outside this time, achieving a 2:03.43 to go with her 5th place finish. Her last four outings have seen her well under the u23 European qualifying standard of 2:05 and skimming the A standard on three occasions. Shane Brosnan (An Riocht) flew the flag for Kerry and Harvard as he finished 23rd in the NCAA 10,000m final with a time of 29.33. His personal best is 28.20.98 from the Raleigh Relays in March of this year. Brosnan has already achieved the European u23 standard. In the Hammer Sean Mockler (Moycarkey Coolroo) finished 21st with a throw of 64.07m, somewhat below his season best of 68.63m from May. Diarmuid O’Connor (Bandon AC) once again did not disappoint in the NCAA Decathlon. Finishing in 15th place with 7,580 points he was named team All American for the second consecutive season. From the ten events, O’Connor achieved PBs in the 110m Hurdles, Pole Vault and 1500m. While not racing for Ireland, it is worth mentioning that Roisin Willis, daughter of Irish Olympian Breeda Dennehy (formerly Bandon AC now residing in the US) won the NCAA 800m. Willis broke the meet record and moves to 3rd in collegiate all-time list with a time of 1:58.13secs.
In Belfast at the British Milers Meet, Nicholas Griggs made a welcome return to racing. Sidelined due to an illness, he was greeted with traditional wintery conditions. In the feature event the men’s mile he strode home in first place with a time of 3:55.97 which is a new meet record. Eimear Maher (DSD) ran a phenomenal 1500m recording a new personal best of 4:13.33 which not only is an A qualifying standard for the European u23s. Maher already has the B standard in both the 1500m and 5000m. Second in the same race was Finn Valley ACs Cara Laverty, home from Providence where she completed a very successful 2024/2025 season. Cara clocked a new PB of 4:16.38 which is a European u23 1500m B standard. Alex O’Neill (Ennis Track) was back at her best again as she recorded a 2:02.5 to win the 800m. Hot on her heals was Galway City Harriers athlete Emma Moore who once again achieved the 800m standard with a 2:03.54. The Joe Ryan coached athlete has been consistent all year since standing on the podium at the national indoors earlier in the year. Pia Langton (Kilkenny City Harriers) finally gained that European u20 B standard that has marginally eluded her on the last few outings. Always well capable of achieving it, the Kilkenny athlete looked comfortable as she crossed the line in 2:06. Issac Vickers (Farranfore Maine Valley) has been racing well all season, setting personal bests and records along the way. In Belfast he recorded 1:52.5 to gain the u18 EYOF standard, which is exactly 1:52.5 – a close shave.
In Belgium at the Nivelles International meeting there were a few more Irish athletes in action. Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers) finished second in the 1500m with a time of 4:15.90. The time is just marginally off her personal best of 4:15.31 recorded earlier this year. In the 800m Robert Hewison (Kildare AC) recorded a season’s best of 1:48.64 to finish 2nd in the 800m. In the same race Louis O’Loughlin (Donore Harriers) finished 4th also with a season’s best, recording 1:48.89. Deirdre Murray recorded a season’s best of 1:00.55 in the 400m hurdles. Killarney Valley’s Oisin Lynch recorded a personal best of 1:48.88 which is well within the B standard for the European u20s and marginally outside the 1:48.5 A standard.
Jake O’Brien (Moy Valley) gained the u23 race walking standard in Connaught on Saturday. The former European medallist has returned to his best after a period of injury. Jake is one of a several young Irish racewalkers who are starting to make an indelible dent in national and international competitions.
There were a few Irish athletes in action in Braga (Portugal) on Saturday. Jodie McCann finished 2nd in the 1500m in a time of 4:12:51. Completing a marathon of races within the past two weeks. Kate Doherty was back in action again over the 100m hurdles where she finished 4th in heat 1 with a time of 14.88. In the 1,500m Sean Donohue improved by one second from his 1500m time in Lisbon to clock 3:42.09 to finish 4th. Callum Baird finished 5th in the 400m with 47.49 while Sean Tobin (Clonmel) was 4th in the 5000m in 13:50.49.
There were some Irish participants in the UKA 10,000m championships held in Birmingham. Efrem Gidey finished second with a time of 28:09.36. In the same race there was a fantastic PB from Jack O’Leary who finished 4th with 28:23.64. This is a great comeback from O’Leary who had a bit of a setback over the last year or so. Niall Murphy (Ennis Track) finished 4th in the B race with a time of 29:35.20. This is a European u23 B standard.
SUNDAY: DIAMOND LEAGUE STOCKHOLM
It was back to the Diamond League again on Sunday where Rhasidat Adeleke once again featured in the main programme. Adeleke clocked 50.48 to finish 6th. A time somewhat similar to what she recorded in Oslo a few days earlier.
In Canada Eric Favors (Raheny) was in action in the Johnny Loaring Classic at Windsor with a victory in the shot putt, putting 19.78m. Favors has been named on the Irish team for the World Team Championships next week.
At the Lithuanian National Championships Enya Silkenya competed in her first heptathlon of the season. Coming back well after an early season injury, the Ratoath AC athlete managed three new person and an overall heptathlon personal best. Silkenya amassed a total of 5434 points which surpasses the European u20 standard of 5350 points.
Elsewhere the younger athletes competed in their respective Juvenile Provincial Championships. While Munster and Connaught basked in sunshine it was not the same in Ulster and Leinster where the rain descended with a vengeance on the athletes participating. Theo Hanlon (Suncroft AC) set a record in the u19 shot but was still shy of the u20 standard he is chasing. He will be competing again this week, hoping to make the cut. Dearbhla Allen (St Peters) who has already achieved the EYOF qualifying standard for the Steeplechase won her u19 event in Tullamore and the next day set a new record for the 3000m flat. In Cork Ellis McHugh recorded a massive PB and a championship record of 59.53 in the 400m hurdles to gain the EYOF standard.