Four Medals

Irish athletes won four medal – two gold, one silver and one bronze.

Finn Valley AC’s Mark English got the ball rolling when he produced a tactically astute performance to win gold in the Men’s 800m Final in a time of 1:45.26. In the process, the Letterkenny man became the first Irish male athlete to win an individual European outdoor title. His 800m Final win was his sixth European medal across indoor and outdoor championships, and he is now the country’s most decorated European track championship athlete. It should not be forgotten that English also set a new Championship Record in his semi-final when clocking 1:43.49.

Kate O’Connor added another medal to an ever-increasing haul with her victory in the heptathlon. The Dundalk St Gerard’s AC athlete set a new Irish record as she achieved the highest heptathlon score of her career to date, with 6,751 points.

Rhasidat Adeleke, who only a few short weeks ago hadn’t even qualified for these championships, won a silver medal in the Women’s 200m Final. The Tallaght AC member also set a new National Record for the distance with a time of 22.28 seconds.

Andrew Coscoran’s medal was, arguably, the surprise medal of the four for Ireland. The Star of the Sea AC man’s bronze in the Men’s 1500m was his first senior major outdoor championship medal.

Close to medals

Sarah Healy was fourth in the 5000m and fifth in the 1500m.

Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) secured a career-best senior major championship finish of fifth in the hammer.

David Kenny (Farranfore-Maine Valley AC) was sixth in the half marathon race walk on his debut over the distance.

Finals and Records

The Women’s and Men’s 4 x 100m teams qualified for their respective European finals, finishing seventh.

Sophie O’Sullivan was eighth in the 1500m and Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) took the same position in the Men’s 5000m Final.

Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrock AC finished secured 10th in the shot put, as did Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers) in the 10,000m Final.

The Men’s 4 x 400m team finished 10th overall with the third-fastest performance in Irish athletics history.

The Women’s 4 x 100m team of Lucy-May Sleeman, Ciara Neville, Sarah Leahy and Lauren Roy produced a National Record of 43.13 seconds.

Team Ireland Results

CR = Championship Record; NR = National Record; SF = Semi-Final, DNF = Did Not Finish; DNS = Did Not Start

1st – Mark English – Men’s 800m Final – 1:45.26 (1:43.49 CR in semi-final) GOLD

1st – Kate O’Connor – Heptathlon – 6,751 Points NR GOLD

2nd – Rhasidat Adeleke – Women’s 200m Final – 22.28 NR (22.43 SB in semi-final) SILVER

3rd – Andrew Coscoran – Men’s 1500m Final – 3:36.24 BRONZE

4th – Sarah Healy – Women’s 5000m Final – 15:40.95

5th – Sarah Healy – Women’s 1500m Final – 4:10.76

5th – Nicola Tuthill – Women’s Hammer Throw Final – 70.33m

6th – David Kenny – Half Marathon Race Walk – 1:24:49 PB

7th – Men’s 4 x 100m – Final – 40.26 (39.13 SB in R1)

7th – Women’s 4 x 100m Final – 44.18 (43.13 NR in R1)

8th – Sophie O’Sullivan – Women’s 1500m Final – 4:11.72

8th – Nick Griggs – Men’s 5000m Final – 13:21.07

10th – Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put Final – 19.59m

10th – Men’s 4 x400m Relay R1 – 3:01.76 SB

10th – Jack O’Leary – Men’s 10,000m Final – 28:24.89 SB

11th – Oisín Lane – Half Marathon Race Walk – 1:27:09 PB

12th – Lauren Roy – Women’s 200m SF – 23.16 seconds

12th – Seán Aigboboh – Men’s 200m SF – 20.46 seconds

14th – Brian Fay – Men’s 5000m Final – 13:31.15

15th – Women’s 4 x 400m R1 – 3:32.70

16th – Bori Akinola – Men’s 100m SF – 10.38 seconds

18th – Cian McPhillips – Men’s 800m R1 – 1:46.84

18th – Darragh McElhinney – Men’s 5000m Final – 13:37.62

20th – Fiona Everard – Women’s 10,000m Final – 33:08.60

20th – Israel Olatunde – Men’s 100m SF – 10.49 seconds

21st – Jack Raftery – Men’s 400m SF – 45.81 seconds

24th – Ciara Neville – Women’s 100m SF – 11.57 seconds

24th – Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m SF – 52.47 seconds (52.28 SB in R1)

24th – Marcus Lawler – Men’s 200m SF – 21.11 seconds

26th – Jodie McCann – Women’s 1500m R1 – 4:14.63

27th – Lauren Roy – Women’s 100m R1 – 11.32 seconds

27th – Sarah Lavin – 100m Hurdles R1 – 13.07 seconds SB

29th – Abbie Sheridan – Women’s 3000m SC R1 – 9:57.50

31st – Cathal Doyle – Men’s 1500m R1 – 4:36.28

43rd – Paul O’Donnell – Men’s Marathon – Final – 2:20.41

DNF – Niamh Allen – Women’s 10,000m Final

DNF – Fionnuala McCormack – Women’s Marathon – Final

DNF – David McGlynn – Men’s Marathon – Final

DNS – Ryan Creech – Men’s Marathon – Final

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Unfortunately neither medalled, with Healy coming home best in fifth place in 4:10.76, with O’Sullivan eighth in a time of 4:11.72.

The gold medal went to Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell in 4:07.78, Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska took silver in 4:08.80, with Patricia Silva (POR) taking the bronze in 4:09.22.

Records for Hunt & Asher-Smith

Britain’s Amy Hunt became the first athlete in European Athletics Championships history to win four gold medals at a single edition. On Sunday night she anchored the British 4 x 100 Mixed Relay gold medal winning team that set a new European Record of 39.97 seconds, having already taken gold in the 100m, 200, and 4 x 100m Relay earlier this week.

Her compatriot Dina Asher-Smith became the most decorated athlete in European Athletics Championships history when winning gold as part of the 4 x 100m Mixed Relay team.

Women’s Javelin gold went to Croatia’s Sara Kolak with 62.43m, Frederik Ruppert of Germany won the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase in a time of 8:25.33, with Luxembourg taking a silver medal via Ruben Querinjean (8:25.61).

In a tight an exciting Women’s Long Jump Final, only 2cm separated the three medallists. Gold went to Italian Larissa Iapichino with a best jump of 7.00m, Briton Jazmin Sawyers got silver with 6.99m, a season’s best for her, while French athlete Hilary Kpatcha took bronze with 6.98m.

Sweden’s Armand Duplantis set a new Championship Record of 6.15m in winning a fourth straight European title, while Italy topped the medals table.

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The Women’s Marathon will get underway at 7.30am, with Fionnuala McCormack among the starters.

The Men’s marathon begins at 8.10am and Ireland will have three participants, namely Paul O’Donnell, Ryan Creech and David McGlynn.

In the evening session, both Sarah Healy and Sophie O’Sullivan will contest the Women’s 1500m Final at 9.13pm.

Day Seven – Morning Session – Sunday, 16 August

Fionnuala McCormack – Women’s Marathon – Final – 7.30am

Paul O’Donnell – Men’s Marathon – Final – 8.10am

Ryan Creech – Men’s Marathon – Final – 8.10am

David McGlynn – Men’s Marathon – Final – 8.10am

Day Seven – Evening Session – Sunday, 16 August

Sarah Healy – Women’s 1500m – Final – 9.13pm 

Sophie O’Sullivan – Women’s 1500m – Final – 9.13pm 

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There were other finals down for decision on Saturday night, and what an action-packed session of athletics it was.

Andy Diaz Hernandez produced the fourth-longest triple jump in history when reaching 18.15m.

Julian Weber (90.40m CR EL) broke the 90-metre barrier to set a new championship record in the men’s javelin, with Germany also taking silver through Nick Thumm (83.76m PB).

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren broke a championship record that stood since 1978 when dominating the Men’s 10000m Final, clocking 27:23.44 CR SB.

Both María Pérez and Sofia Fiorini set new world records with their victories in the race walks.

Britain won both the Men’s 4 x 100m and Women’s 4 x 100m Relays, with Amy Hunt claiming another gold medal to add to those from her 100m/200m sprint double. Her compatriot Dina Asher-Smith, who was part of the winning relay team, took a record-equalling tenth European Championships medal.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine won the Women’s High Jump gold medal, clearing 1.97m, while Henriette Jaeger of Norway won the Women’s 400m Final with a new National Record and European Leading time of 49.04 seconds.

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Kate O’Connor won GOLD in heptathlon, while Andrew Coscoran won BRONZE in the Men’s 1500m Final.

A silver medallist at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in 2025, O’Connor came into this evening’s final event, the 800m, in the gold medal position, and needed to finish the race within three second of her main rival, Emma Oosterwegel from The Netherlands, to take the gold.

KATE O’CONNOR IS A EUROPEAN GOLD MEDALLIST!

Not only that, she’s beaten the Irish national record.

She has well and truly written herself into the history books.

Watch all the action on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. pic.twitter.com/ydRy8ILcRL

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 15, 2026

The Dutch athlete did her best to take the time out of O’Connor as she led into the final straight and moved on to claim victory in the heptathlon 800m in 2:10.87.

O’Connor, however, was within a minute of Oosterwegel, crossing the line in 2:11.11, ensuring she claimed the heptathlon gold medal. Sveva Gerevini from Italy, who injected pace into the race down the far side of the track, took second in the race in a time of 2:11.11.

“When I heard the cheers”

Giving her reaction to RTÉ Sport after her latest gold medal triumph, the St Gerard’s AC athlete said:

“When I heard cheers like that for me going around those two laps, there was no way I was going to let that gold medal slip through my fingers

“I was very conscious that there were two Dutch girls on my outside. Tactics really do come into play there, so I had to make sure I got myself into a safe spot. I know some of the girls aren’t afraid to bump and barge. I really wanted to make sure I got my spot and no one was going to ram me out of there, and then it was a case of settling in and following the tactics we had set out.

“I did really want to win that 800m race, but with 50 metres to go I knew I had it in me to stay within the three seconds. I just wanted to cruise home and make sure I leave here injury-free and with a gold medal around my neck.”

“When I heard cheers like that for me going around those two laps, there was no way I was going to let that gold medal slip through my fingers.”

Kate O’Connor talks to David Gillick after securing European gold in the heptathlon.

Watch live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. pic.twitter.com/6ye47GKmh6

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 15, 2026

The overall result of the women’s heptathlon was gold for O’Connor with 6,751 points, a new National Record. Silver and Bronze went to The Netherlands, with Emma Oosterwegel second with a personal best score of 6,713 points, and Sofie Dokter also claiming a personal best with 6,664 points.

Highly decorated star

In just a very short space of time, Kate O’Connor has become one of Ireland’s most decorated sports stars, winning four medals in 2025 and three this year.

Last year, O’Connor took bronze in the pentathlon at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, silver in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, silver in the heptathlon at the World Championships in Tokyo, and gold in the heptathlon at the World University Games in Bochum.

2026 had been gold medals all the way for the Newry-born performer with wins in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Toruń, the heptathlon at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and now another heptathlon victory at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

Coscoran Bronze in Men’s 1500m Final

Andrew Coscoran won a surprise bronze medal in the Men’s 1500 Final this evening.

The Balbriggan native and two-time Olympian finished behind Stefan Nillessen of The Netherlands and Samuel Pihlstrom from Sweden.

The gold medallist clocked 3:35.70, with the runner-up 3:36.16, while the Irish record holder at both 1500m and 3000m, Coscoran, stopped the clock at 3:36.24.

Stefan Nillessen wins GOLD in the men’s 1500m at the European Championships in 3:35.70s.

He made a huge sprint over the final 100m to take the title.

Samuel Pihlström in 3:36.16s.
Andrew Coscoran in 3:36.24s. pic.twitter.com/SeHvehrUAt

— SprintForge (@Tweeterfinger1) August 15, 2026

“I’m sitting here with a bronze medal”

Discussing his preparation for these championships, the Star of the Sea AC man said:

“It all just clicked on the day. My preparation was really good. I have to thank my team of pacers over the last while. I’ve been going through a bit of a tough time with things and all the lads have been out on the bikes with me, pacing me and really helping me.

“That’s a product of a lot of work over the years. A lot of strength work, a lot of speed work. It eventually paid off. That’s class.”

Commenting on tonight’s race, he admitted:

“A lot of the time it can open up. It’s a split-second decision on the back straight whether to go up the inside or go around the outside.

“It opened up on the inside and I made a split-second decision to go. It’s a risk. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but today it did. I’m sitting here with a bronze medal.”

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Kate O’Connor achieved a PB in the heptathlon long jump and is now in the gold medal position, PBs came for David Kenny and Oisín Lane in the Men’s Half Marathon Walk, Sarah Healy and Sophie O’Sullivan qualified for the Women’s 1500 Final, the Women’s 4 x 100m Relay team set a new National Record and qualified for the Final, and the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay team posted a Season’s Best and also advanced to tonight’s Final.

O’Connor in gold medal position

Kate O’Connor has moved into the gold medal position after Saturday morning’s action in the heptathlon at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

O’Connor began her morning with a PB of 6.55m in the long jump, and had a best effort of 50.16m in the javelin competition after that.

With one event, the 800m at 7.45pm this evening, remaining, O’Connor leads overall on 5,812, with a 51-point advantage over Emma Oosterwegel of The Netherlands on 5,761, with her compatriot Sofie Dokter in the bronze medal position with 5,741 points.

Healy & O’Sullivan qualify for Women’s 1500m Final

Both Sarah Healy and Sophie O’Sullivan qualified for Sunday evening’s final of the women’s 1500m. Both participating in heat two, Healy took third with 4:08.12 and O’Sullivan was fifth in a time of 4:08.88 with the first six advancing to the final. 

Obvious delight for Sophie O’Sullivan in making the 1500m final #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/KCIsDvLdG3

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 15, 2026

Earlier Jodie McCann took to the line for the first heat of the women’s 1500m. Despite being prominent for the first few laps, once the pace increased the Irish woman found herself drifting back, ultimately finishing in 13th place in the heat. Her time of 4:14.63 was well outside her PB of 4:06.81, and did not qualify for the final.

Women’s & Men’s 4 x 100m Relay teams make finals

Ireland’s Women’s 4 x 100m Relay team of Lucy-May Sleeman, Ciara Neville, Sarah Leahy and Lauren Roy set a new National Record in the heats this morning. Running a new Irish record time of 43.13 seconds, the team finished fourth behind Italy, Britain and Portugal.

The first three finishers qualified for the final with the next two fastest teams over the two heats also gaining final berths in the final. With Ireland finishing eighth overall, they gained a place in tonight’s final.

It was a case of ‘having to make the final’ for Bori Akinola, Sean Aigboboh, Marcus Lawler and Israel Olatunde in the 4x100m men’s relay #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics pic.twitter.com/wIOaLUn5xo

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 15, 2026

The men’s 4 x 100m Relay team of Bori Akinolo, Seán Aigboboh, Marcus Lawler and Israel Olatunde followed that soon afterward by also booking their place in the final. Running in heat 2, the men ran a season’s best time of 39.13 seconds in finishing fourth behind automatic qualifiers Italy, Germany and Belgium. With the sixth fastest time overall, Ireland booked the final spot for Saturday night.

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Both Irishmen produced personal bests in the event, with Kenny finishing in sixth place in a time of 1:24.90, while Lane, from Mullingar Harriers, came home in 11th place in a time of 1:27.09.

The winner of the men’s half marathon walk was Paul McGrath of Spain. Born and raised in Barcelona, he has a Spanish mother, a Scottish father, and Irish grandparents

PB for O’Connor in Long Jump

Kate O’Connor, who was third after the opening day of the heptathlon, began Saturday with a PB in the long jump. Her opening effort of 6.55m bettered her previous best of 6.50m. Effort two was 6.26m, while the third jump was a foul.

With the Dundalk St Gerard’s AC athlete collecting 1,023 points in the long jump, she remains in third position, but is now only six points behind the new heptathlon leader, Annik Kalin (SUI), who has accumulated 4,955 points. Dutch woman Sofie Dokter is in the silver medal position with 4,955.

The post Saturday morning PBs for Kenny, Lane & O’Connor appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Audrey Werro, who fell in the semi-finals of the Women’s 800m and was later given a place in the final on appeal, produced one of the moments of the championships as held off Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and The Netherlands’ Femke Broeders-Bol in one of the race of the championships, winning gold in a championship record time of 1:54.81.

Norwegain Karsten Warholm won a fourth successive European 400m hurdles title, beating his own championship record with a new time of 46.63 seconds.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti completed a 5000m/10,000m double as she again displayed her incredible pace in the closing stages of the race.

Her compatriot, Gianmarco Tamberi, added nine centimetres to his season’s best to win a fourth European high jump title.

Jordine van Klinken took the gold medal in the women’s discus, while Germany’s Owen Ansah won the Men’s 200m Final.

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Ireland’s men’s half marathon race walkers, David Kenny and Oisín Lane, will have an early start at 7.30am.

Kate O’Connor, who began her challenge for the pentathlon title on Friday, is back in action at Alexander Stadium, with both the long jump and javelin taking place during the morning session.

Sarah Healy, fourth in the 5000m Final on Tuesday, lines up in round 1 of the Women’s 1500m, which begins at 12.15pm.

Healy will be joined in those qualifying heats by Sophie O’Sullivan and Jodie McCann.

Both women’s and men’s 4 x 100m Relay teams will compete in round 1 of the competition at 12.40pm and 1.00pm respectively.

In the evening session, Kate O’Connor will compete in the final event of the pentathlon, the 800m, at 7.45pm.

Ireland will have an interest in two of the track finals, with Jack O’Leary in the Men’s 10,000m Final at 8.25pm, and Andrew Coscoran in the Men’s 1500m Final at 9.07pm.

If either the men’s or women’s 4 x 100m Relay teams are successful in the morning session, they will contest the finals later in the evening – the men’s will be at 9.33pm and the women’s at 9.48pm.

Day Six – Morning Session – Saturday, 15 August

David Kenny – Half Marathon Race Walk – Final – 7.30am

Oisín Lane – Half Marathon Race Walk – Final – 7.30am

Kate O’Connor – Women’s Heptathlon – Long Jump – Group A & Group B – 10.25am

Kate O’Connor – Women’s Heptathlon – Javelin Throw – Group A & Group B – 11.55am

Sarah Healy – Women’s 1500m – Round One – 12.15pm

Sophie O’Sullivan – Women’s 1500m – Round One – 12.15pm

Jodie McCann – Women’s 1500m – Round One – 12.15pm

Women’s 4x100m Relay – Round One – 12.40pm

Men’s 4x100m Relay – Round One – 13.00

Day Six – Evening Session – Saturday, 15 August (* if qualifying)

Kate O’Connor – Women’s Heptathlon – 800m – 7.45pm 

Jack O’Leary – Men’s 10,000m – Final – 8.25pm

Andrew Coscoran – Men’s 1500m – Final – 9.07pm

Men’s 4 x 100m Relay – Final – 9.33pm*

Women’s 4 x 100m Relay – Final – 9.48pm*

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The Dundalk St Gerard’s AC star produced personal bests in the 100m hurdles and the high jump in this morning’s session.

In the opening event of the seven-event competition the Irish woman finished fourth in a time of 13.30 seconds to collect 1,080 points.

She matched her PB of 1.86m in the high jump – clearing it at the third attempt – as she added 1,050 points to her total.

In the shot put in the evening session, the recent Commonwealth Games gold medallist produced a best effort of 13.96m, before running a 23.79 personal best in the final heptathlon event, the 200m.

Heading into day two on Saturday, the Newry, Co Down-born athlete sits in third position.

He lead is currently held by Poland’s Adrianna Sulek-Schubert on 3,968 points. Sofie Dokter from The Netherlands, who won heat 3 of the 200m this evening, is currently in the silver medal position on 3,944 points, with O’Connor in third on 3,926.

The action in the heptathlon begins again in the morning with the long jump and javelin during the morning session, with the 800m at 7.45pm Saturday evening.

“I feel fit, I feel healthy; and I’m leaving day one feeling pretty positive”

Ireland’s Kate O’Connor is in third place with three events left in the heptathlon, and following an excellent 200m race, she spoke to David Gillick #RTESport pic.twitter.com/1zou7vHMRO

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2026

“I’ve given myself a fighting chance”

Commenting on her opening day in the competition, Kate O’Connor stated:

“I’m happy with that one [the 200m], but in the shot I feel like I let myself down a little. I had a lead on certain people, and I swung the door back open, but it’s really hard to string seven perfect performances together.

“I’ve managed to put together three really strong performances and one that wasn’t quite as strong. I feel fit, I feel healthy and I’m leaving day one feeling positive and in a good position.

“I’ve given myself a fighting chance tomorrow.”

Women’s 10000m Final

Bandon AC’s Fiona Everard finished in 20th place in tonight’s final of the Women’s 10000m, finishing in a time of 33:08.60 at her first major track championship.

Leevale’s Niamh Allen, unfortunately didn’t look comfortable during the race, and was forced to retire from the race.

The post Kate O’Connor third after day one of Heptathlon appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.