Ireland has named nine athletes for the World Athletics Road Running Championships, which take place in Copenhagen on September 19th and 20th.
The championships bring elite and mass participation racing together, with men’s and women’s world titles decided over the mile, 5km and half marathon. The first edition was held in Riga in 2023, while the planned 2025 championships in San Diego were ultimately cancelled. World Athletics initially removed the event from San Diego before deciding there was insufficient time to appoint another host and make the necessary preparations. That explains the three year gap between the inaugural championships and their return in Copenhagen.
Recent European 1500m bronze medallist Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) and Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) will contest the men’s mile. Coscoran secured his first senior international medal in Birmingham, while Doyle reached the Olympic 1500m semi final in Paris two years ago.
European finalists Sarah Healy (UCD AC) and Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) have been selected for the women’s mile after finishing 5th and 8th respectively in Birmingham. Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC) has been named as the non travelling reserve.
The men’s 5km places go to Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Darragh McElhinney (Bantry AC), both of whom represented Ireland over 5000m at the recent European Championships.
Ireland will also field a full men’s half marathon team. National record holder Peter Lynch (Kilkenny City Harriers) is joined by Hiko Tonosa (Dundrum South Dublin AC), who competed at the inaugural championships in Riga, and Barry Keane (Waterford AC).
The mile and 5km championships will be held on Saturday, September 19th, with the half marathon following on Sunday, September 20th.
Irish Team Selection
Sarah Healy - Women’s Mile - UCD AC
Sophie O’Sullivan - Women’s Mile - Ballymore Cobh AC
Laura Nicholson - Women’s Mile, Non Travelling Reserve - Bandon AC
Andrew Coscoran - Men’s Mile - Star of the Sea AC
Cathal Doyle - Men’s Mile - Clonliffe Harriers
Brian Fay - Men’s 5km - Raheny Shamrock AC
Darragh McElhinney - Men’s 5km - Bantry AC
Barry Keane - Men’s Half Marathon - Waterford AC
Peter Lynch - Men’s Half Marathon - Kilkenny City Harriers
Hiko Tonosa - Men’s Half Marathon - Dundrum South Dublin AC
