Mageean and Adeleke secure European Final places

Ciara Mageean (1500m) and Rhasidat Adeleke (400m) advanced to their respective finals on day 2 of the European Athletics Championships in Munich this morning

Mageean secured her place in Friday’s 1500m final with an impressive front-running display. The City of Lisburn athlete, who won a bronze medal at these championships in 2016, secured one of the automatic qualification places with a 2^nd place finish in a time of 4:03.03 which ranks as her best 1500m time this season.

The Commonwealth Games silver medalist is sure to have medals on her mind once again having secured safe passage through the often-tricky semi-final stage. Mageean, who was also entered in Thursday’s 800m heats alongside Louise Shanahan will now focus fully on this week’s primary target which is the 1500m final on Friday (7.45pm Irish time).

Ciara Mageean of Ireland after finishing second in the Women's 1500m heats at the European Championships 2022 at the Olympiastadion in Munich.

📸 @SportsfileDFitz https://t.co/HDc9ghpSfT pic.twitter.com/kfnVazJ4KU

— sportsfile (@sportsfile) August 16, 2022

Sarah Healy also went in the 1500m semi-final this morning but it was not to be for the UCD star who crossed in 11^th place in a time of 4.10.75. This season has seen another huge step forward for the Tokyo Olympian and there will be many more major championship appearances to come for the 21-year-old.

Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Rhasidat Adeleke, who is ranked 6^th in the 400m, ran a superb semi-final race to cross in 51.08 to claim one of the non-automatic qualification places for tomorrow’s medal decider. Adeleke went out hard from the gun and was right up alongside heat winner Femke Bol (NED) coming around the final bend before dropping a place in the final fifty meters to cross in 3^rd place.

Making the European senior final continues Adeleke’s meteoric rise which has seen her claim two gold medals (100m & 200m) at the European U20 Championships last year, before going on to secure a 9^th place finish at the World Championships (senior) in Oregon last month. Adeleke will return to the track at 9.02pm tomorrow for the 400m final.

Rhasidat Adeleke is through to the 400m final!!🙌🇮🇪

Another huge milestone on the back of her 9th place finish at the World Championships last month🤩

⏱️ 51.08(q)
⏰400m Final Wednesday 17th at 9.02pm (Irish time)

Result: https://t.co/vmY1gxIIhQ#Munich2022 #BackToTheRoofs pic.twitter.com/LoNvTj7rTI

— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 16, 2022