100m Sprinter Shines in Skopje on first day of competition
Sprinter Ben Sykes stole the show on the opening day of action for Team Ireland at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Skopje, winning a bronze medal in a time of 10.57. From Belfast, Sykes’ medal was the first for Ireland in the competition that will see thirty-five athletes compete across eight sports over the coming week.
The EYOF, which takes place in Skopje, North Macedonia, runs from 20 to 26 July 2025. Live coverage of the Games, including the Opening Ceremony, is available at https://eoctv.org/.
ATHLETICS
A busy day for Ben Sykes (Belfast) saw him cruise through his heats in the morning before setting a personal best of 10.56 in his semi-final. The sixteen-year-old stayed composed and mature throughout a gruelling day, where the final had to be restarted four times due to false starts. Unfazed by the tension and challenge, Sykes finished in third place with a time of 10.57, winning Ireland’s first medal of the Games.
Speaking after the final, Sykes was thrilled with his result,
“I was never expecting that. It’s absolutely incredible. After three false starts, three times I had the run about 60 meters. I’d probably run well over a hundred meters before the race even began, but I was so happy I got over and done with on that third place I was never going to expect in a million years. I am so happy. After I crossed the finish line there were so many thoughts going through my mind. I was waiting for my name to be called out and when it did, it was an incredible experience.”
Also in attendance was his coach, and mother, Gillian Sykes, who witnessed the emotional moment:
“I was nearly in tears. It’s such an emotional experience getting out there, run a time like that. It was just absolutely incredible. Just to be able to hug my parents after that was just amazing.”
Sykes’ medal came during a jam-packed day of competition on the track, with plenty of standout performances. Earlier in the evening, Donegal’s Erin Friel ran a phenomenal 400m to win her heat and qualify for tomorrow’s final with a time of 54.68. Looking composed throughout, she’s excited for what’s to come:
“I still can’t even believe I’m here. I’ve been talking about qualifying for the Youth Olympics for the last year throughout my winter training; it’s just been the goal for months and months now. Every single day I wake up first thing I think of, and every single day I think of making that final. And I’ve done it now and I can’t believe it.
“I have big goals for tomorrow. I’m going to keep them to myself for now, but I think everyone’s going to have the same goals going in, so it’s just going to come down to who wants it the most.”
Emma Hickey finished fifth in the final of the 3000m, running a strong 9:38.17. The promising Wexford athlete was competing at this level for the first time, just weeks after sitting her Junior Cert.
Also making his championship debut, Lorcan Forde Dunne placed 8th in the 1500m final with a time of 3:58.95.
Isaac Vickers, wearing the Irish vest for the first time, finished sixth in his heat of the Boys’ 800m in 1:56.14, just outside his personal best and narrowly missing out on a spot in the final. With temperatures in the mid-30s, it was not only his first international outing, but also his first time racing in such extreme heat. Starting in lane six, the Kerry runner reflected on the experience:
“I was happy with to start, in fairness, the lads inside of me went out fairly hard. I just slotted in behind them on like fifth or fourth, something like that, and just carried it through the way. Once they hit the bell, they started pulling away from me. The heat was just shocking. It was getting warmer and warmer every one hundred metres! It’s a major change to the weather home in Ireland. But yeah, I didn’t mind it until we got to the second lap though. In fairness, I’m happy with how I did. I’m a year younger than all these lads, so I’ll be back next year hopefully!”
High jumper Conor Penny also progressed to the final, qualifying in eleventh place after the opening round.
It was a tough start to the championship for fifteen-year-old Destiny Lawal, who was disqualified from the Girls’ 100m for a false start. Her reaction time, just 0.095 seconds, was marginally outside the legal limit. The Limerick sprinter now switches her focus to the Medley Relay, where she’ll compete next Saturday.
Team Leader for athletics, Jacqui Freyne, emphasised Lawal’s potential and the learning opportunity this presents:
“It was a really unfortunate start. Destiny was our first athlete out on the first day. It was the first track event and she unfortunately false-started. Her reaction time was .95 which was just above the legal limit. I did question it with the head referee who confirmed it, and I was able to see it myself. So unfortunately, it’s a huge learning curve for her, but at 15 she has a long career ahead of her.”
Swimming
Representing Team Ireland for the first time, swimmer Julia Dziedzic kept her cool in the pool in her 200m Backstroke Heat and Semi-Final races today. From finishing second in her heat, to placing fourth in her semi-final, Dziedzic deservingly secured her position in the 200m Backstroke Final tomorrow morning.
“This is my first international final. I’m really excited because, like to be placed eight so far is really good in Europe. So I’m really happy about that.”
Dziedzic’s family travelled over to Skopje from Dublin to support her at her first international competition. Having them in the crowd cheering her on, set her at ease after she had a 45 minute wait in the call room before her semi-final race.
“It feels good, because they’re like, always at my competition supporting me. So it kind of just makes it feel more calm and know that my family’s here.”
Badminton
Dubliner Hannah Shochan got her EYOF campaign off to a dominant start in the group stage, with a 2-0 victory over Austria’s Matilda Simma. The fourteen-year-old led throughout the tense two-game match, keeping her cool under pressure. Her final score was 21-11, 21-13.
In her second match, Shochan faced the top seed in her group and put up a strong fight, eventually falling to Croatia’s Maja Pranić in a close 2-1 battle (21-19, 12-21, 21-19).
Speaking after her opening match, Shochan said,
“I just tried to control the game and not hit really extreme shots and just play safe and it worked out. It the beginning I was a bit nervous, but in the second set I felt a bit more calm. I just wanted to get a lead at the beginning and then I won’t be worrying if I get a lead start, then I’ll be worrying and I’ll probably make some errors and stuff.”
Shochan’s older sister, Michelle, previously competed for Team Ireland at the EYOF in Banska Bystrica, and the talented pair often train together. Speaking about her sister, Shochan said,
“She’s really inspirational and it’s nice to have someone like a role model living with you. You can see what they do every day and thank you, Michelle, for everything.”
Luke Marks took a thrilling victory over Ukraine’s Ivan Dzhus, in a battle that went to three matches. The Tipperary player won 2-1 (21:5, 17:21, 21:17). Speaking after the match, Marks said,
“I had a very good start winning 21:5. And then the second set, my pace kind of dropped. His pace went up and he did very well to win. Then in the third set I came back. It was really positive and just made sure to not lose my head.”
RESULTS – MONDAY 21 JULY:
Athletics, Boys 100m, Ben Sykes BRONZE MEDAL in 10.57 (1st heat, PB of 10.56 in semi-final)
Athletics, Girls 400m, Erin Friel won her heat in 54.68, qualifies for tomorrow’s final.
Athletics, Boys 800m, Isaac Vickers (6th in heat with 1.56.14, did not qualify for final)
Athletics, Girls 100m Sprint, Destiny Lawal DSQ following false start.
Athletics, Boys High Jump, Conor Penney qualifies for final in 11th place.
Athletics, Girls 3000m Final, Emma Hickey 5th with 9.38.17.
Athletics, Boys 1500m Final, Lorcan Forde Dunne 8th with 3.58.95
Badminton, Girl’s Singles Group Play Stage, Hannah Shochan (IRL) BEAT Matilda Simma (AUT) 2-0 (21-11, 21-13).
Badminton, Girl’s Singles Group Play Stage, Hannah Shochan (IRL) BEATEN BY Maja Pranic (CRO) 2-1 (21-19, 12-21, 21-19).
Badminton, Boy’s Singles Group Play Stage, Luke Marks (IRL) BEAT Ivan Dzhus (UKR) 2-1 (21:5, 17:21, 21-17)
Swimming, Girls 200m Backstroke, Julia Dziedzic qualified for final with 2.20.61
SCHEDULE DAY 2 – TUESDAY 22 JULY (NOTE TIMES COULD CHANGE DUE TO HEAT):
(All times are Irish times – North Macedonia is one hour ahead)
SCHEDULE DAY 2 – TUESDAY 22 JULY:
(All times are Irish times – North Macedonia is one hour ahead)
08:00 Badminton, Boys Singles, Luke Marks (IRL) V Georgi Ruptsov (BUL)
08:35 Athletics, Girls 400m Final, Erin Friel (TBC)
08:45 Basketball, Girls 3×3 Group C Match 4, Ireland V Romania
08:50 Swimming, Girls 400m Freestyle Heat 3, Julia Dziedzic (Lane 1)
09:05 Swimming, Boys 200m Butterfly Heat 1, Shea Mathers (Lane 1)
09:10 Athletics, Girls 2000m SC Heat, Lucie Cawley
09:12 Cycling, Girls Time Trial, Katie Turner
09:14 Swimming, Girls 200m Breastroke Heat 1, Anna Joyce (Lane 4)
09:26 Cycling, Girls Time Trial, Emer Heverin
09:35 Athletics, Girls 400m Hurdles Heat, Ellis McHugh
09:38 Cycling, Girls Time Trial, Aoife Craig
10:17 Cycling, Boys Time Trial, Tom Lane
10:34 Cycling, Boys Time Trial, Rian McCrystal
10:48 Cycling, Boys Time Trial, Caleb McGreevy
11:50 Table Tennis, Boys Singles, Peadar Sheridan (IRL) V Ughur Nazarli (AZE)
12:45 Gymnastics, Boys All Around, Chester Enriques, Robert Ward, Finlay Hazelton
13:00 Badminton, Boys Singles Group Play, Luke Marks (IRL) V Marko Surina (CRO)
15:30 Badminton, Girls Singles Group Play, Hannah Shochan (IRL) V Abiramy Kokilan (NOR)
17:30 Badminton, Boys Singles Group Play, Luke Marks (IRL) V Jakub Dulemba (POL)
18:20 Basketball, Girls 3×3 Group C Match 11, Ireland V Netherlands
19:30 Badminton, Girls Singles Group Play, Hannah Shochan (IRL) V Daria Gherasim (ROU)