What a championships it’s been for Ireland.
From Sarah Healy winning gold in the 3000m to Rhasidat Adeleke doing likewise in the 200m, these are golden times for Ireland athletics.
After a few barren years on the running track, the goings on in Gyor this week are extremely welcome and the sight of Irish athletes on the podium in these championships is surely a positive sign for things to come.
There’s a new batch of up and coming Irish athletes and you can add Sophie O’Sullivan to that list.
Sonia’s daughter has been billed for big things for a while now and the 16-year-old has shown in the last week that when it comes to championship racing, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
On Friday evening, the 16-year-old won her first ever race in the Irish singlet, showing off that trademark O’Sullivan kick to take her eat on the nod. She coasted through her semi-final to book her place in Saturday night’s final of the two lap race.
She ran a tactically astute race to finish in second place in a new personal best of 2.06.05. The Ballymore Cobh athlete made her move down the back straight and looked in contention for the gold medal at that point.
The British athlete quickened away from the field soon after but O’Sullivan battled hard to hold onto her second place finish.
A dominant run in the 800m final for Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson in a championship record of 2:04.84 and a medal for O'Sullivan!
Sonia O'Sullivan's daughter Sophie claimed a silver medal on her championship debut no less. pic.twitter.com/dHBqUJ9Z9o
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 7, 2018
She was delighted after the race and gave a now trademark enthusiastic post-race interview.
How about that for a thumbs up! Now that’s a silver lining pic.twitter.com/qNcjji2aOL
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 7, 2018
Her mother was surely proud.
Super silver and super smiles!!! 2:06.05 for an official pb for Sophie O’Sullivan pic.twitter.com/iNdYWLKrwK
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 7, 2018
