Ireland's athletics team has been crowned team champions of Division 3 at this year's European Games in Poland.
Grace Casey was up first this morning in the javelin event. She placed 5th in the event, with a best throw of 42.02m. Olympic finalist Phil Healy finished second in the 200m, just outside her season best, with a time of 23.79.
🗣️ “It was great. Happy to get the 42m throw. It’s such an amazing stadium, I thought I was going to be thrown off…I’m happy out.”
Grace Casey reacts to her fifth place finish in the Javelin 🤩🎤https://t.co/QKfwiq5ONI#TeamIreland | #EG2023 pic.twitter.com/purTLo8g1r— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 22, 2023
An impressive run from Ava O'Connor saw her place third place in the steeplechase with a time of 10:18.10. Ruby Millet went on to earn maximum points for Ireland after winning the long jump with a best jump of 6.33m.
In the women's high jump, Sommy Lecky jumped 1.74m to take third position. Sophie O'Sullivan made a great senior debut in the 1500m, and ran to place first in 4:27.96.
🏃♀️ | ATHLETICS
🗣️ “It’s what I wanted to do, get the points for Ireland and do my part to get them into the next division.”@sophieosulli22 reacts to winning the Women’s 1500m in 4.27.96 🎤👏🏻#TeamIreland | #EG2023 pic.twitter.com/wqXhoO3csH— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 22, 2023
Ireland ended off strong in the 4x400m mixed relay. Nelvin Appiah, Róisín Harrison, Callum Baird and Sharlene Mawdsley great form saw them place first, putting 3:17.16 on the clock, a European Lead time.
Ireland's crowning moment! 👑
After providing the first Irish win in the 400m, Sharlene Mawdsley 🇮🇪 anchors Ireland to mixed 4x400m victory in #Silesia2023! 🏆#EG2023
(@irishathletics | @TeamIreland) pic.twitter.com/5rc77EAEdM— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 22, 2023
Team Ireland's brilliant efforts paid off as Ireland will now progress to Divison 2 at the games in Madrid 2025. The final scores revealed Ireland won Divison 3 with 494 points, Austria placed second with 473.50 points and Israel third with 434 points.
