Irish sprinter qualifies for European 200m final with blistering run

Irish sprinter Leon Reid has qualified for the men's 200m final at the European Championships in Berlin after clocking a time of 20.38 seconds in Wednesday's semi-final.

Reid was cleared to race for Ireland last week after his transfer of allegiance from Britain to Ireland was approved by the IAAF. The 24-year-old, originally from Bath, won a National sprint double over 100m-200m in Santry, Dublin, last month and he qualifies for Ireland through his Belfast born mother after previously representing Great Britain at junior and under-23 level. No Irish sprinter has ever won a medal at the European Championships but Reid will have a chance to end that drought alongside Thomas Barr who qualified for the final of the 400m men's hurdles with a time of 49.10 seconds on Tuesday. https://twitter.com/RTEsport/status/1027258644209917952 https://twitter.com/ianoriordan/status/1027258498822950912 https://twitter.com/DervalORourke/status/1027257953341120512 https://twitter.com/Cathal_Dennehy/status/1027258007292440576 Spain's Bruno Hortelano won 200m gold at the 2016 European Athletics Championships with a time of 20.45 seconds which should put Reid in contention if he can replicate his form from Wednesday's semi-final.