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RTÉ News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Ireland in promotion hunt after strong day one at European Team Championships
Ireland are in fifth place after day one of the Division 2 events at the European Athletics Team Championships in Slovenia. It was great day for Jack Raftery and the men's 4x100m relay team, as they set another new national record. Raftery put in one of the performances of the day to clock a PB of 44.98 in the 400m, which was good enough to see him finish fourth. In doing so, the Dubliner became just the second Irish man to break the 45-second mark. "I don't know if I have words for it," Raftery said afterwards. "That's the best field I've ever been part of; it's a Diamond League quality field. If I had ran a PB and came last, I would've been happy. I can't believe that. I felt great coming down that home straight. "Oh my god I'm delighted." Sharlene Mawdsley, meanwhile, ran an SB of 50.93 as she came home third in the women's 400m, a result that she was satisfied with. "I don't even know how I made it around," was her assessment post-race. "A season's best is great, it's a shame I didn't come first, I would've loved to win the top points, but it would've taken a PB to do that today. "It was about getting out there and doing my family proud." But there was delight for the men's 4x100m team as they set a new national record for the second weekend in a row. The team of Michael Farrelly (Raheny Shamrock AC), Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC), Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Israel Olatunde (Tallaght AC) came home in 38.88, four tenths of a second faster than what they had managed last weekend. "There's a lot of effort that has gone into this over the years," said team captain Lawler. "We're all delighted to break the national record." It was good enough for second place overall. The action is set to resume this afternoon at 1.30pm with promotion on offer for the teams which finish in the top three. Team Ireland - Day One results Sean Mockler – Men's Hammer Throw – 12th (64.00m) Shane Howard – Men's Long Jump – 11th (7.20m) Arlene Crossan – Women's 400m Hurdles – 14th (59.14 PB) Clodagh Walsh – Women's Pole Vault – 10th (3.40m) Fintan Dewhirst – Men's 400m Hurdles – 15th (79.01) Niamh Fogarty – Women's Discus Throw – 5th (52.20m) Bori Akinola – Men's 100m – 8th (10.62, -2.2m/s) Eric Favors – Men's Shot Put – 5th (19.42m) Lucy-May Sleeman – Women's 100m – 9th (11.84, -1.1m/s) Sophie O'Sullivan – Women's 800m – 16th (2:12.87) Shane Bracken – Men's 1500m – 3rd (3:42.92) David Cussen – Men's High Jump – 5th (2.16m) Sharlene Mawdsley – Women's 400m – 3rd (50.93) Elizabeth Ndudi – Women's Long Jump – 4th (6.26m) Jack Raftery – Men's 400m – 4th (44.98) Grace Casey – Women's Javelin Throw – 14th (42.33m) Brian Fay – Men's 5000m – 2nd (13:56.07) Ava O'Connor – Women's 3000m Steeplechase – 3rd (9:45.09) Women's 4x100m Relay (Sarah Leahy, Ciara Neville, Lauren Roy, Sarah Lavin) – 3rd (43.97)
The 42
a day ago
- Sport
- The 42
Another 4x100m relay record helps Ireland into fifth place at European Team Championships
IRELAND IS IN fifth place at the European Team Championships Division 2 after a raft of strong performances in Maribor, Slovenia. Ireland has a total of 192 points heading into Day 2, which puts them in contention to reach a top-three spot and promotion to Division 1. The bottom three teams will be relegated. For the second weekend in a row, the men's 4x100m relay team have broken the national record. After breaking the 25-year-old record in Switzerland last weekend, Michael Farrelly, Sean Aigboboh, Marcus Lawler and Israel Olatunde clocked 38.88 to beat the 38.92 they ran last week. That time was enough to see the team win their heat and finish second overall. It also gave Ireland 15 points to help them climb up the leaderboard. Day 1 ✅ | Team Ireland sitting strong in 5th 🇮🇪 After 20 events, Ireland holds 5th place on 192 points heading into Day 2 of the European Team Championships Division 2 in Maribor 🇸🇮 Results from the last events of the day⤵️ 🔹Brian Fay 2nd place Men's 5000m: 15 pts 🔹Ava… — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 28, 2025 'Back to back records, it's fantastic,' a delighted Farrelly said after. 'The goal here was to run our fastest or second-fastest. We just ran our fastest again. To be on a team with these lads is an honour.' Aigboboh was a sub last week and came in to replace the injured Bori Akinola. 'To be on the track here today and play a part is great. It's an amazing feeling. A great senior debut.' Commenting on Ireland's fifth-place position, relay team captain Lawler said: 'We're going well and we're gonna go stronger again tomorrow. There's a lot of positive energy so we'll keep it up.' 🗣️"That record hadn't be broken for 25 years, and we've gone and done it back to back and to be part of something huge like this, it's just great." The Men's 4x100m team reflect on their National record performance at today's European Team Championships💚#IrishAthletics… — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 28, 2025 Sharlene Mawdsley and Jack Raftery also produced vital times over 400m. Advertisement Raftery became just the second Irish man to break 45 seconds after running clocking 44.98 to finish fourth in the event, contributing 13 points to Ireland's cause. 'I don't know if I have words for it,' a breathless Raftery said. 'I was lucky enough to be in a fantastic race. It's the best field I've ever been part of. 'I can't believe that. I felt great coming down the home straight. I'm really enjoying my running, I'm enjoying the process. I don't think it's gonna hit me for a couple of hours. I've no idea how I'm going to process this.' 🗣️ 'I don't know if I have words for it…I can't believe it. Oh my god I'm delighted.' An elated Jack Raftery chats to us after clocking 44.98 at the European Team Championships to move second on the Irish all-time list 🤯#IrishAthletics #Maribor2025 #ETCH2025 — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 28, 2025 Mawdsley ran season's best of 50.93 to take third in the women's race which amounted to 14 points. 'Honestly, I don't know how I made it around,' Mawdsley said. 'A season's best is great, it's a shame I didn't come first, I would have loved the top points but it probably would have taken a PB [personal best] to do that today. 'Today was about getting out there and doing my family proud.' 🗣️ 'A season's best is great…I'm looking forward to cheering on the rest of the team now.' Hear from Sharlene Mawdsley after she clocked a season's best of 50.93 to finish third in the Women's 400m at the European Team Championships 🤩#IrishAthletics #Maribor2025 #ETCH2025 — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 28, 2025 Meanwhile, Brian Fay earned 15 points after clinching second place in the men's 5,000m in a time of 13:56.07 behind Belgium's Issac Kimeli who won in 13:55.70. Team Ireland sits in 13th place (33 pts) after the opening six events at the European Team Championships in Maribor 🇸🇮 Strong efforts across the board as our athletes get the campaign underway: 🔹Sean Mockler 12th place Men's Hammer: 5 pts 🔹Shane Howard 11th place Men's Long… — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 28, 2025 Elsewhere, Conor Kelly set a new national U20 record of 46.06 in the men's 400m of at the Junioren Gala in Mannheim. This improves on his previous record of 46.18, which he set last month at the IFAM Outdoor.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Ireland's Jack Raftery and Sharlene Mawdsley take centre stage at European Athletics Team Championships
Raftery became just the second Irishman in history to break 45 seconds for 400m when clocking 44.98 to finish fourth in the men's race, while Mawdsley made a hugely impressive return to racing – the Tipperary sprinter clocking a season's best of 50.93 to finish third in the women's race. Their performances helped Ireland climb to fifth at the halfway stage, their tally of 192 points putting them within touching distance of the top three in division two: Norway (228), Belgium (226.5) and Slovenia (214.5). The top three nations will gain promotion to the first division on Sunday evening, with the bottom three relegated. The Irish didn't have any winners on day one and while Raftery might not have accrued the most points, his run was the standout individual showing, as the 24-year-old Dubliner hacked a massive chunk off his previous best of 45.75 to move second on the Irish all-time list behind David Gillick's national record of 44.77. 'I can't believe that,' he said. 'I don't have the words. I was coming in thinking if I ran 45.5, I'd be delighted.' Raftery has been working under coaches Gerard O'Donnell and Aideen Sinnott at the Dublin Sprint Club and having gone to the Paris Olympics as a substitue for the mixed relay, he's now in a great position to make the Tokyo World Championships as an individual as his time is just shy of the automatic standard of 44.85. Mawdsley, running her first race since the Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia in late May, turned in an excellent showing to dip under 51 seconds for the first time this year, not far off the PB of 50.71 she ran at the Paris Olympics. The race was won by Slovakia's Emma Zapletalova in 50.76. 'I don't even know how I made it around,' said Mawdsley, who was running her first race since the death of her father Thomas (Tucker) in early June. 'A season's best is great. It's a shame I didn't come first, I would have loved the top points.' Mawdsley said she is uncertain of her plans for the coming weeks, adding: 'Today was just about getting out there and doing my family proud.' The action closed with a huge performance by the Irish in the men's 4x100m where Michael Farrelly, Sean Aigboboh, Marcus Lawler and Israel Olatunde broke the national record for the second time in eight days, clocking 38.88 to win their heat and finish second overall. 'It's a great run,' said Lawler. 'There's a lot of effort gone into this over the years. We're all delighted.' Bori Akinola had to withdraw from that race after sustaining an injury in the 100m, where he finished fourth in his heat, and eighth overall, clocking 10.62 into a 2.2m/s headwind. The Irish 4x100m women's team of Sarah Leahy, Ciara Neville, Lauren Roy and Sarah Lavin clocked 43.97 to win their heat and finish third overall. Brian Fay secured a runner-up finish in the men's 5000m, the Dubliner showing his vast range of gears on the last lap of a tactical race, clocking 13:56.07 to finish a close second to Belgium's Isaac Kimeli (13:55.70). Shane Bracken had an impressive run in the men's 1500m, the Mayo man finishing a close third in 3:42.92. Sophie O'Sullivan turned in an off-colour performance in the women's 800m, the recently crowned NCAA 1500m champion coming home eighth in her heat in 2:12.87. Paris Olympian Eric Favors threw 19.42m to finish fifth in the men's shot put, while David Cussen cleared 2.16m to finish fifth in the high jump. Reigning European U-20 champion Elizabeth Ndudi jumped 6.26m to finish fourth in the long jump, Ava O'Connor finished fourth in the women's 3000m steeplechase in 9:45.09, while Niamh Fogarty threw 52.20m to finish fifth in the discus. Fintan Dewhirst had to battle injury in his heat of the 400m hurdles, trailing home eighth and last in 79.01 seconds but making sure he reached the line to earn some valuable points. Elsewhere, rising star Conor Kelly broke his own Irish U-20 400m record when clocking 46.06 at the Junioren Gala in Mannheim, Germany, improving the 46.18 record he set in Brussels last month.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jack Raftery and Sharlene Mawdsley impress for Ireland at European Team Championships
Two superb 400m runs by Jack Raftery and Sharlene Mawdsley, along with a 4x100m national record by the men's relay team, put Ireland firmly in the hunt for promotion after the first day of the European Athletics Team Championships in Maribor, Slovenia on Saturday. Raftery became just the second Irishman in history to break 45 seconds for 400m when clocking 44.98 to finish fourth in the men's race, while Mawdsley made a hugely impressive return to racing – the Tipperary sprinter clocking a season's best of 50.93 to finish third in the women's race. Their performances helped Ireland climb to fifth at the halfway stage, their tally of 192 points putting them within touching distance of the top three in division two: Norway (228), Belgium (226.5) and Slovenia (214.5). The top three nations will gain promotion to the first division on Sunday evening, with the bottom three relegated. The Irish didn't have any winners on day one and while Raftery might not have accrued the most points, his run was the standout individual showing – the 24-year-old Dubliner hacking a massive chunk off his previous best of 45.75 to move second on the Irish all-time list behind David Gillick's national record of 44.77. 'I can't believe that,' he said. 'I don't have the words. I was coming in thinking if I ran 45.5, I'd be delighted.' Raftery has been working under coaches Gerard O'Donnell and Aideen Sinnott at the Dublin Sprint Club and having gone to the Paris Olympics as a sub for the mixed relay, he's now in a great position to make the Tokyo World Championships as an individual, his time just shy of the automatic standard of 44.85. Mawdsley, running her first race since the Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia in late May, turned in an excellent showing to dip under 51 seconds for the first time this year, not far off the PB of 50.71 she ran at the Paris Olympics. The race was won by Slovakia's Emma Zapletalova in 50.76. 'I don't even know how I made it around,' said Mawdsley, who was running her first race since the death of her father Thomas (Tucker) in early June. 'A season's best is great. It's a shame I didn't come first, I would have loved the top points.' Mawdsley said she is uncertain of her plans for the coming weeks, adding: 'Today was just about getting out there and doing my family proud.' The action closed with a huge performance by the Irish in the men's 4x100m where Michael Farrelly, Sean Aigboboh, Marcus Lawler and Israel Olatunde broke the national record for the second time in eight days, clocking 38.88 to win their heat and finish second overall. 'It's a great run,' said Lawler. 'There's a lot of effort gone into this over the years. We're all delighted.' Bori Akinola had to withdraw from that race after sustaining an injury in the 100m, where he finished fourth in his heat, and eighth overall, clocking 10.62 into a 2.2m/s headwind. The Irish 4x100m women's team of Sarah Leahy, Ciara Neville, Lauren Roy and Sarah Lavin clocked 43.97 to win their heat and finish third overall. Brian Fay secured a runner-up finish in the men's 5000m, the Dubliner showing his vast range of gears on the last lap of a tactical race, clocking 13:56.07 to finish a close second to Belgium's Isaac Kimeli (13:55.70). Shane Bracken had an impressive run in the men's 1500m, the Mayo man finishing a close third in 3:42.92. Sophie O'Sullivan turned in an off-colour performance in the women's 800m, the recently crowned NCAA 1500m champion coming home eighth in her heat in 2:12.87. Paris Olympian Eric Favors threw 19.42m to finish fifth in the men's shot put, while David Cussen cleared 2.16m to finish fifth in the high jump. Reigning European U-20 champion Elizabeth Ndudi jumped 6.26m to finish fourth in the long jump, Ava O'Connor finished fourth in the women's 3000m steeplechase in 9:45.09, while Niamh Fogarty threw 52.20m to finish fifth in the discus. Fintan Dewhirst had to battle injury in his heat of the 400m hurdles, trailing home eighth and last in 79.01 seconds but making sure he reached the line to earn some valuable points. Elsewhere, rising star Conor Kelly broke his own Irish U-20 400m record when clocking 46.06 at the Junioren Gala in Mannheim, Germany, improving the 46.18 record he set in Brussels last month.
Fox Sports
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Onions! Bill Raftery's guide to March Madness lingo
College Basketball Onions! Bill Raftery's guide to March Madness lingo Updated Mar. 20, 2025 12:08 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Ask any college basketball fan what makes the NCAA Tournament such a special event, and chances are you'd get a variety of answers. There are the upsets that take place and Cinderella teams that make deep runs. There are the game-winning shots that propel teams into the next round and dash the hopes of others, and, of course, there is the idea that in any game, and any time, something remarkable can happen, which is why the tournament is referred to as "March Madness." But what else makes the NCAA Tournament so special is the individuals who call the games, those who use their words, their emotions and their crafty catchphrases to perfectly describe a given moment in time. FOX Sports college basketball analyst Bill Raftery has been calling college basketball games for more than 40 years, and throughout his time as an analyst, he has developed some of the most unique and memorable sayings in the history of the sport. With the Big Dance set to tip off Thursday, we caught up with Raftery and asked him about the story behind some of those iconic calls. ADVERTISEMENT Here is Bill Raftery's official guide to March Madness lingo: [MORE: 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament bracket here] Onions! What it means: This phrase is used to describe a clutch, game-winning shot that seals the deal. It has to fit the moment. The origin story: Ian Eagle and I were doing a New Jersey Nets-Orlando Magic game. Kevin Edwards, who played at DePaul, made a jumper to win the game at the buzzer for New Jersey. The Nets were not having a great year, so we weren't used to winning. That just popped out. It just aptly described the moment. With a little kiss! What it means: This is used to describe a shot that goes in off the backboard. The origin story: I started using that phrase because, to me, a bank shot is not really descriptive enough. The shot has a lot of touch to it, and a kiss fits. It's a soft, easy, touch shot. I had never heard it before. It just kind of came in my head. Send it in, big fella! What it means: This phrase is used when a big man powers home a dunk. The origin story: This was used to describe Jerome Lane's dunk during a game in 1988 that is still replayed today because he tore the backboard down. It's a way of describing someone who just brings the kitchen sink. A little nickle-and-dimer What it means: This phrase is used to describe a soft foul that doesn't warrant the call. No harm, no foul. The origin story: The five-and-dime store was something that was around when I was a kid, so that saying came from there. When there's a touch foul, I knew the rule was you're not supposed to have your hands on a player, but I always feel like it sort of takes away from the flow of the game. It's my way of saying something with distain without being over the top. A little lingerie on the deck What it means: This phrase is used when an offensive player makes a move that sends his defender to the ground. The origin story: I knew that if I ever said "jock" on the air, my mom, God bless her, would have killed me. This was my way of saying you were faked out of your underwear. I used that one early on because I remember hearing the term "you put him on skates," where the defender loses his balance. This was my version. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! share Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
