A busy morning for Team Ireland at the Sport Park Athletics stadium in Banska Bystrica saw the cream of Ireland’s young athletes stamp their mark at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Slovakia. Throughout the competition athletes were fielded across seven sports, with all eyes on the athletics field for the remaining days of the event which runs from the 25-30 July 2022.
The performance of the morning was from Cormac Dixon in the Boy’s 3000m Final, where he was pipped on the line for a medal, finishing fourth with 8:28.62. The Tallaght AC runner knocked 12 seconds off his previous best, digging deep to just miss out on bronze to Italy’s Vitorre Simone Borromini by 0.07 seconds. Dixon led the race coming into the final 200m, before Sweden’s Karl Ottfalk passed to take gold. Romania’s Lucian Stefan took silver, with Dixon, Stefan and Ottfalk all scoring PBs in the battle to the line.
Speaking after the race, team leader for the athletics team Jacqui Freyne said,
“A 12 second PB over 3000m is absolutely huge. Cormac ran a really great race, he put himself in the mix and he went after the breaks. His coach Cecil Johnson will be incredibly proud of him. We are all heartbroken for him to be losing out on a medal by 0.07, when you run such a huge PB, it’s really tough.” Listen in full by clicking HERE
Edenderry’s Cian Crampton also performed outstandingly, throwing a PB of 54.76 to finish fifth in the Boy’s Discus Final. The fifteen-year-old is still young enough to compete in this category at the next edition of the EYOF, and was pleased with his performance,
“It started off good with 52, but then felt a bit of pressure because I fouled and then had a bad throw. I thought I’d be lucky to get into the top eight, felt the pressure in the last throw so I threw it further. Delighted with the PB in the final throw. I couldn’t ask for anymore, maybe a medal, but that’s next year!”
Listen to the full interview by clicking HERE
The Boy’s Medley Relay qualified for final by finishing second in their heat with the third fastest qualifying time of 1:58.52, putting them in a great position to contest the medals tomorrow. Cormac Crotty along with Jason O’Reilly were racing their first race today, speaking after the race Crotty said,
“It started off with Jesse, who had a very good start; then the baton changed to Toby, who ran a very strong leg too, I did well too and Jason finished it off.”
O’Reilly added, “It feels great – the whole week watching the athletes qualify, and you’re thinking to yourself I’d love to qualify as well, so it’s like a dream come through now going to the finals.”
The Girl’s Medley Relay finished in ninth place, just missing qualifying for the finals by one spot with a time of 2:16.44. Racing her first race of the Games, Amy-Jo Kierans said
“We are happy with that, the changeovers were really good. Okwu had such a good start, Hannah as well, our changeover to Hollie was amazing and she made up some really good ground.”
Later today Toby Thompson is the only athlete in action, competing in the finals of the Boy’s 200m. Tomorrow will see the Boy’s Medley Relay Final, as well as Clodagh Gill in the 3000m and Lucy Foster in the 1500m.
RESULTS – TUESDAY 26 JULY 2022
Athletics
Boy’s 3000m Final – Cormac Dixon – 4th overall with 8:28.62
Boy’s Discus Final – Cian Crampton – 5th overall with 54.76 PB
Boy’s Medley Relay
Jesse Osas, Toby Thompson, Cormac Crotty, Jason O’Reilly – Q for Final with 1:58.52
Girl’s Medley Relay
Okwu Backari, Hannah Falvey, Amy-Jo Kierans, Hollie Kilroe – 9th overall with 2:16.44
SCHEDULE – FRIDAY 29 PM JULY 2022
19:35 Athletics – Boy’s 200m Final – Toby Thompson
SCHEDULE – SATHURDAY 30 JULY 2022
10:10 Athletics – Girl’s 3000m Final – Clodagh Gill
10:23 Athletics – Girl’s 1500m Final – Lucy Foster
10:57 Athletics – Boy’s Medley Relay – Osas, Thompson, Crotty, O’Reilly
