Latest news with #AnikaThompson
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Eimear Maher and Anika Thompson add to successful Irish showing at European Under-23 Championships
Eimear Maher and Anika Thompson helped ensure a record medal tally for Ireland on the closing day of the European Under-23 Championships, winning bronze in the 1,500m and 5,000m respectively. Their additions brought Team Ireland's medal tally to five, Thompson already having won gold in the 10,000m on Friday, with both Nicola Tuthill (hammer) and Nick Griggs (5,000m) both earning silver. Maher, ranked seventh coming to Bergen, battled all the way to the line to snatch bronze in 4:09.54. The race was won by Turkey's Dilek Kocak in 4:08.79, Adele Gay of France took silver. 'I'm absolutely delighted right now,' said Maher. 'I knew after the Morton Games that I was in the shape of my life, and then I just had to keep it good and do what I did.' READ MORE Half an hour later, Thompson was in action in the 5,000m, claiming bronze in 15:56.80. 'It's the joy I have of the sport of running, whether I win or lose, the greatest thing is that I'm healthy and I get to do this, I have a big smile on my face,' said Thompson of Leevale AC in Cork. In the final event of the championships, Ireland's men's 4x400m team of Andrew Egan, Callum Baird, Joe Doody and David Mannion finished in fifth place in a new national Under-23 record of 3:06.31. The race was won by Spain in a new championship record of 3:02.02.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tyrone's Nick Griggs adds to Ireland's medal haul at the European U-23 Championships
On Friday, Anika Thompson struck gold for Ireland over 10,000m and Nicola Tuthill added silver in the hammer throw and now Griggs has added to the medal haul. Having won silver and gold at European U-20 level in the past, Griggs was a marked man as he lined up for the 5000m final and he took the pace out from the gun, passing 3000m in 8:28. After missing several months of training earlier in the year due to an infection in his knee, Griggs' bounced back to form in impressive fashion last month with a 3:55 mile in Belfast before lowering the Irish U-23 record to 3:52.42 in Dublin last week. In Bergen, he wanted to make it a stern test for his rivals and he delivered an impressive performance. 'We walked out the first few hundred so I was like, 'let me just take this out,'' he said. 'I was risking losing the medal to go and get to win, but I wanted to do that.' Griggs was the fastest Irish U-20 athlete in history at 1500m, the mile, 3000m and 5000m and he currently holds all the Irish U-23 records over the same distances. While he built a short lead early in the 5000m final, his rivals were keen not to give too much leeway, with the overwhelming favourite, Dutch star Niels Laros, towing them back to catch Griggs. Laros recently ran a 3:45 mile to win at the Eugene Diamond League and with wheels like that, the gold was all but secured once he took the lead with a lap to run, winding the pace up and unleashing a 12.1-second last 100m to win in 13:44.74. Griggs utilised his vast range of gears to hold off a large chasing pack to take silver, with Will Barnicoat – who had beaten Griggs to U-23 gold at the European Cross Country last December – taking bronze with 13:46.11. 'I'll take it' – Rhasidat Adeleke sets her sights on the World Championships after an encouraging display in London British relay team handed gold medals 28 years after they were denied by USA team disqualified for anti-doping violation
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Anika Thompson grabs U23 European gold for Ireland, Nicola Tuthill secures silver
Anika Thompson has become Ireland's second European Under-23 athletics champion in 33 years after taking gold in the women's 10,000m final in Norway while Nicola Tuthill earned the first Irish field medal by claiming silver in the hammer. Thompson went out hard in Bergen, sticking with the leaders for the majority of the 24-lap race before sprinting home to take the win in a new national U23 record of 32:31.47. Thompson, born and raised in Oregon, but representing Ireland through her Cork-born mother, follows on from another woman of Rebel ancestry Sophie O'Sullivan, who claimed Ireland's first ever gold at these championships in the 1500m two years ago. The newly crowned champion said she had planned to attack the race from the start and showed grit throughout the race to stick with the pace. EUROPEAN U23 CHAMPION ANIKA THOMPSON 🥇🥇🥇🥇 Anika Thompson speaking to us after winning the women's 10,000m in a new U23 record of 32:31.47 👊 #irishathletics — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 18, 2025 "I'm overjoyed,"Thompson said afterwards. "The plan was to go by instincts, and I trusted my gut. I knew that I had every tactic in the bag, I could do well if it went out slow or if it went out honest." Thompson's parents were unable to attend, but her wider family from County Cork were in the crowd to cheer her on. "My granny Marie, my aunt Fiona, and my uncle Kevin are here… I was glad to put on a show for them today." Heather Murphy finished 19th in a time of 35:07.09. Nicola Tuthill (above) made history again just 30 minutes later by claiming silver in the women's hammer with a throw of 70.90m. This is the first field event medal for Ireland at the championships, with Tuthill throwing her best of the competition in the fourth round. "Second is where I was ranked, and second is where I came, so delighted with that," she said. "I'm always looking for a little bit more, but these medals are really hard to come by. "It's really special.. I know there is more in but it's still another throw over 70m and my third best in the competition so in a major championships like this, with the nerves and everything that comes with it I'm delighted. " In the morning session, two Irish athletes secured qualification to finals. Eimear Maher of DSD AC progressed to the final of the women's 1500m by finishing third and securing an automatic qualification spot in a time of 4:13.84. This is Maher's debut championship on the track, and she comes in with an impressive personal best of 4:08.67. Cara Laverty of Finn Valley AC was ninth in heat one of the women's 1500m in 4:23.66, which wasn't enough to qualify on this occasion. Ava O'Connor also secured her place in the women's 3,000m steeplechase final, crossing the line in second place in 10:02.95. Alexandra Joyce made her Irish debut just three months after taking up the steeple event and finished just two seconds off her personal best in 10:15.63 to take 11th place in heat one. Ailish Hawkins completed the steeplechase trio, finishing her competition in 11th position in heat two in a time of 10:44.45. Andrew Egan made his individual debut, after being part of the 4x400m squad two years ago in Espoo. Egan finished in fifth position in 21.77, which was two places outside automatic qualifying. Maher will race in the 1500m final on Sunday afternoon, and O'Connor will run in the 3000m steeplechase final on Saturday evening. Tomorrow will see Nick Griggs make his 5,000m championship debut. Anna Gavigan will compete in the morning session in the women's discus qualification.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Anika Thompson and Nicola Tuthill medal for Ireland at European Under-23 Championships
Anika Thompson and Nicola Tuthill made it an evening to remember for Irish athletes at the European Under-23 Championships in Bergen, Norway, winning gold and silver in the 10,000m and hammer respectively. Thompson, from the Leevale club in Cork, became Ireland's second European Under-23 gold medallist following Sophie O'Sullivan's 1,500m win in 2023, winning the 10,000m in an Irish Under-23 record of 32:31.47. Kira Weis from Germany was second in 32:36.47, but was no match for Thompson in the last lap burn up. Then came Tuthill in the hammer to make it a Cork medal double, as the 21-year-old from Bandon threw a best of 70.90m to win silver, the gold medal there going to Aileen Kuhn from Germany with her best of 72.53m. READ MORE Tuthill had thrown 71.33m in qualifying, just couldn't quite reproduce that form. Together they claim just the 12th and 13th medals for Ireland at European Under-23 level.
