Tokyo standard and points race heats up, as U20s have their moment in the spotlight
Elizabeth Egan | Aug 06, 2025
As some of Europe’s top Under 20 Championships reach the climax of their seasons, senior athletes will be taking what could be a final shot at Tokyo qualification, while some of the province’s top talent will be on display at the Northern Ireland and Ulster Championships.
European Under 20 Championships
A team of 38 Irish athletes have travelled to Tampere in Finland for the European U20 Championships, where the male one-lap athletes will be particularly hopefully of medals. Conor Kelly is the fastest European U20 this year, and him and his teammates have also run the fastest 4x400m time in Europe this year.
Times, however, mean little at underage championships, where tactical nous and putting in a big performance on the day can lead to breakthrough performances and unexpected medals.
Either way, expect four action-packed days – all available to watch on Eurovision Sport.
Oordegem awaits
Saturday's IFAM Oordegem has a particularly strong entry – both from Ireland and further afield - for a Continental Tour Bronze meeting.
The men’s 5000m boasts 6 athletes with personal bests of 13 minutes or better – the ideal standard for Nick Griggs and Darragh McElhinney who are chasing Tokyo spots. That’s assuming they make it into the A race. Efrem Gidey, Cormac Dalton and Callum Morgan are also entered at this distance.
There is the chance of another head-to-head between Mark English and Cian McPhillips over 800m (English said after his win at Nationals on Sunday that he was heading back to altitude before worlds, but his name appeared on the entries here earlier this week).
Newly minted National 400m champion Sophie Becker (400m) is another whose name only appeared this week. Other one-lap entrants include Cliodhna Manning and three of the top four from the men’s race last Sunday (Chris O’Donnell, Ciarán Carthy and Andrew Egan).
Ciara Neville will be looking to build on recent momentum. She is entered for both the 100m and 200m, as is National 200m Champion Marcus Lawler.
Alex O’Neill (800m), Laura Nicholson (1500m) and Roisin Flanagan (5000m) all still have outside chances of making the team for Tokyo. Nicholson, who already has the Athletics Ireland B standard, will be looking for enough points to maintain her precarious spot within quota, while O’Neill and Flanagan first need to secure the respective standards of 2:01.00 and 15:22.00.
Seán Donoghue, Shane Bracken and Lughaidh Mallon are among those entered in the 1500m, a particularly strong event for the Irish men at the moment.
Other Continental Tour meetings
Irish athletes will be competing across a handful of other Continental Tour Bronze and Challenger meetings over the coming days.
Sarah Lavin (100m hurdles) is the sole Irish athlete on the startlists for the Serbia Athletics Meeting on Thursday where she will be looking for another positive performance.
National bronze medallist Andrew Thompson (800m) and Paralympian Greta Streimikyte (1500m) are among the Irish entrants for the final British Milers Club Grand Prix in Trafford on Saturday.
Brian Fay (3000m) is on the most recent startlist for the Folksam Grand Prix in Sollentuna on Sunday and Cathal Doyle will race the 1000m in Białystok (Poland) on Saturday.
Northern Irish and Ulster Senior Championships
While some are likely not to compete, entries for the Northern Ireland and Ulster Championships includes Sean Aigboboh (100m), Callum Baird (100m, 200m), Orla Comerford (100m, 200m), Sarah Leahy (100m), Kate O’Connor (200m, 100m hurdles), Rachel McCann (200m), Kate Doherty (400m), Anna McCauley (100m Hurdles, Long Jump), Lauren Callaghan (Long Jump), John Kelly (Shot Put) and Anna Gavigan (Discus Throw).
At close of play on Sunday, there will be just two weeks left in the Tokyo qualification window. Dreams could be very well made, or broken, this weekend.