Ifs and buts unimportant, but Rhasidat Adeleke's time of 49.28 is the joint fastest time ever to not medal at an Olympics, would have medalled in all previous Olympic 400m finals bar 1996, and would have been a gold-winning time in Athens, Beijing, London and Rio.
I’ve had the absolute pleasure of watching a Dub, Rhasidat Adeleke, run very fast and win medals for her country this week, we’ve all had that pleasure and what a pleasure. She’s a genuinely lovely person. Why everyone can’t feel that way, I honestly will never know.
That Daley Thompson doc on BBC Two was brilliant. Lots of sports docs fall down by not interviewing enough people or the right people or having enough contemporary footage. This got everything right, even showing these 1988 BBC Olympics graphics, which were glorious.
So
@eirsport
has gone off-air. Worth remembering how innovative and wide-ranging Setanta was in the old days - Setanta Cup, two Paralympics & European Games, Copa Libertadores, 16 years of LOI, tons of European football, live athletics, basketball, hockey, boxing... Big loss.
If you happened not to catch it (I didn’t) a mighty second place for Ciara Mageean in the women’s 1500m in the
#Weltklasse
#DiamondLeague
final in Zurich behind Faith Kipyegon.
#ZurichDL
Ciara Mageean is European champion. A long time coming!! Another glorious result, Ireland’s second gold in 48 hours and a fifth all time.
#Roma2024
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
After Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean, some praise please for an Irishwoman 5th in the world - Britney Arendse with a 10kg lifetime best to take 5th in the -73kg World Para
@Powerlifting
in Dubai. Kafila Almaruf breaking the longest-standing WR to take gold.
#Dubai2023
Reaction to Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon back home in Kenya. Amazing scene. Dedicated to everyone to took more than two hours to get up this morning.
Never pay attention much to medals tables per se as it's usually the biggest countries with the biggest populations and biggest teams that win the most medals. Not this week.
#Dublin2023
#LENDublin2023
A thrilling bronze picked up by Ireland overnight in the mixed 4x400m relay at the World Relays. Sharlene Mawdsley putting it up to Femke Bol in the closing straight. Her and Rhasidat Adeleke put in the overtime this weekend. Magnificent stuff.
The Olympics are winding down, what are we ever going to do? Don't worry, the Paralympics kick off on August 28th. Ireland well represented across the board.
#Paris2024
No stopping Union at the moment, a minuscule budget compared to recent Euro winners Eintracht, whose main stand has a bigger capacity than Union’s whole ground. Clinching scorer Eckert coming from the German Third Division. Another miracle.
#frausg
#uecl
For only the fourth time in European Athletics Championships history, it’s a gold medal for Ireland. Sonia O’Sullivan got the previous three in 1994 and 1998.
#Roma2024
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
Happening all over again. Mona McSharry picks up her THIRD gold of the week at the European U23 Championships. Ireland's SIXTH gold. 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇
#Dublin2023
#LENDublin2023
Sophie O’Sullivan’s 2nd place finish in the 3000m at the Citta della Quercia Rovereto meeting in Italy. People smarter than me reckon it’s an Irish U23 record.
Really delighted to be back on Paralympics commentary duty at the end of the month, back on the para athletics coverage again for RTE. Just five on the Irish team this time, but still a great chance to sit back and watch them and the best in the world.
#Paralympics
#Paris2024
5th for Sarah Lavin in the 100 hurdles semi-final and she will be out. 2Q+2q but an Irish record of 12.62, breaking Derval O'Rourke's European silver-medal winning run from Barcelona 2010.
#WorldAthleticsChamps
#Budapest2023
#Budapest23
Efram Gidey finishing sixth in the men’s 10000m final. Him and Lavin tonight now make it 11 top-8 finishes at these European Championships for Ireland. The previous record was 6.
#Munich2022
A first senior trophy for
@UnionStGilloise
since the 1935 league title and the first time they’ve won the Belgian Cup in 110 years. Antwerp dethroned as Cup holders in Mark van Bommel’s last major game in charge (still 3 league games left)
#CrokyCup
#usgant
A quick look at Ciara Mageean’s new 1500m Irish record at the Memorial van Damme Diamond League meeting in Brussels. A more complete video from
@Diamond_League
will no doubt follow.
#diamondleague
#BrusselsDL
I’ve got to leave for my plane in four hours. It’s just been the greatest time. Well done everyone connected to the Irish team. It’s been unforgettable.
#Roma2024
☘️
Quick stat - Ireland now guaranteed EIGHT top-8 finishes minimum at
#Munich2022
. The highest figure ever at a European Athletics Championships for Ireland. Most had been 6 in 1998 and 2002.
17 of that Ireland squad play in England below the Prem. Josh Cullen could easily have kept doing that, but he’s developed tons at Anderlecht. No reason why loads of others couldn’t follow to high-ranked high-technique leagues like Belgium, Holland or Portugal.
#irlbel
#coybig
Kate Veale aiming both barrels after being cruelly left out of the Irish World Athletics Championships team for Oregon. Luke McCann missing out too.
#Eugene2022
Ireland will be in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics after winning tonight's qualifier. Also through to tomorrow's
#WorldRelays
final, which is a different prize. Beat Belgium into second. 😀
#Bahamas2024
Having worked at 8 Worlds, 7 Euros and 10 indoors, I don't think there's any issue in how athletics presents itself. I've never met anyone in broadcasting who thinks that either. Put it in the right place and hey presto, full houses all week.
#WorldAthleticsChamps
#Budapest2023
Denis Odoi back in London on the brink of being a Championship winner with Fulham, and still battling for his second title of the season with Club Brugge.
#FULLUT
Irish women’s 4x400 team confirmed as Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley for tonight’s final at the European championships.
#Roma2024
Silver for Ireland behind the Netherlands and Bol. Fourth medal of the Championships and so so much to be proud of. Belgium 3rd. Irish NR too 3:22.71 - over 1.5 secs off it.
#Roma2024
I’ll
It’s such a terrific result for Louise Shanahan to reach the 800 final. The net is widening in terms of talent getting far in Champs like these.
#Munich2022
Gent win the Euro play-offs outright again for the fourth year in a row and qualify for Europe again, by denying the team that edged them out of the title play-offs on the final night. And that is the perfect way to say goodbye.
#gnkgnt