Team Ireland’s 40 athletes returned home from the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) 2017 in Gyor, Hungary with a six-medal haul. The EYOF is a multi-sport event which sees athletes (aged 13-17) compete against the best youth athletes in Europe.
The Festival not only gives Ireland’s aspiring Olympian’s an opportunity to test themselves against some of the best developmental talent in Europe but also provides them with multi-sport Games experience which, is an important milestone for anyone with Olympic ambition. There were 130 sets of medals up for grabs across 13 sports in the weeklong festival which takes place every two years.
Cycling secured its first ever medal at this event when Wicklow’s Lara Gillespie came home second in the Girl’s Cycling Time Trial in a time of 15minutes 20 seconds, just behind the Swiss winner in 15 minutes 17 seconds. The remaining medals were won in Athletics with Blackrock Athletic Club’s Sarah Healy producing the highlight performance of the championships, to take Gold in the 1500m Final, running a personal best of 4.19.85.
The sprinters were on fire on the track with Patience Jumbo-Gula (Dundalk) placing third in the 100m in a time of 11.59 (+6.6 W) and Tallaght’s Rhasidat Adekele winning the silver in the 200m in 23.81 (+2.5 W). Both athletes lined up in the women’s 4x100m with Niamh Foley and Miriam Daly to take the bronze. In the field Cavan’s Jade Williams threw 58.62m to secure a bronze for Ireland in the Hammer.
