Adeleke and Mageean to lead Irish charge at World Championships

Ciara Mageean and Rhasidat Adeleke lead the Irish team at this month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

23 Irish athletes are set to take part, which includes two relay teams. The championships run from August 19th to 27th 2023.

European medallists Ciara Mageean, Mark English and Thomas Barr will be looking to make World finals. While Sarah Lavin and Rhasidat Adeleke will also look to continue their outstanding seasons.

Ciara Mageean will head to Budapest full of confidence having smashed Sonia O’Sullivan’s long standing national mile record last month Mageean posting 4:14.58.

Meanwhile, Mageean will be joined in the 1500m by European U23 medallists Sophie O’Sullivan and Sarah Healy, having produced an excellent battle in the national championships.

Rhasidat Adeleke takes to her second World Championships having broken her own Irish 400 metre record when claiming NCAA championship gold in June.

Adeleke became the first Irish sprinter ever to win an NCAA title, but competes in the women’s 400 metres, one of the championships most competitive.

Adeleke will be joined in the 400m by Sharlene Mawdsley who has moved to another level this season. Mawdsley is now ranked fourth on the Irish all-time, having posted 51.34 seconds in June.

Mark English returns to the 800m and will be joined by the in-form and newly crowned national 800m champion John Fitzsimons, while Thomas Barr returns to the 400m hurdles having looked very sharp in Morton last weekend.

Whereas, Sarah Lavin is also no stranger to World Championship finals having made the world indoor 60m Hurdles final in Belgrade last year. Lavin claimed European Games bronze medal in Poland earlier this summer.

Relay teams to excel?

Ireland enter two relays team in this year’s championship with the women’s 4x400 metres team looking to be led by Adeleke.

Sophie Becker of Raheny Shamrock and Sharlene Mawdsley have both competed in World championship finals. While, Sligo’s Christopher O’Donnelll head’s a mixed 4x400m relay squad which goes in search of back-to-back world finals. O’Donnell may also yet receive a quota spot in the individual 400m.

Andrew Coscoran broke his own Irish 1500 metre record at the Silesia Diamond League meeting earlier this season, finishing fourth in a world class field in 3.30.42. The Balbriggan athlete will have sights firmly set on making the 1500m final later in the week.

Luke McCann also goes in the 1500m and with the UCD athlete boasting a personal best of 3:34.76 from indoors.

Olympians Louise Shanahan, David Kenny and Brendan Boyce return to global competition, as will recent Irish 5,000m record-breaker Brian Fay.

The Raheny Shamrock man crossed the line in 13:01.40 to break the record of Alistair Cragg which had stood since September 2011.

Irish throws will also be represented in Budapest with Irish shot put record-holder Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrock primed to bring his consistent run of form into his second World Championships.

Ireland: