2023 was a magical year for Irish athletics as our athletes shone brightly on the European and World stage.
The current crop of talent looks capable of stepping up again in 2024, while the future generation certainly looks exceptionally bright.
Across the year gone by 90 national records fell at U18, U20, U23 and senior level in both track and field events underlining the extraordinary depth within the sport in this country at the moment.
Here Balls.ie looks back at some of the memorable records that were broken...
Irish athletics - 2023 record-breakers
Rhasidat Adeleke - Women's 200m and 400m
Most athletics fans in Ireland have ran out of superlatives when it comes to describing the phenomenal talent of one Rhasidat Adeleke.
It is incredibly hard to believe that she only turned 21 one week after finishing fourth in the final of 400m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.
The young Tallaght athlete who is based in Texas broke the national 200m and 400m records this year.
She lowered the 200m mark to 22.34 in Florida back in April but it is the longer sprint where she has really excelled.
In June, Adeleke became Ireland's first ever NCAA sprint champion as she clocked a mind-blowing time of 49.20 seconds to take gold on her home track at the University of Texas.
Rhasidat Adeleke 49.20 to beat Britton Wilson (49.64) in the 400m final! #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/AkPmw8f5MZ
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) June 11, 2023
The time was seriously impressive, as was the manner in which she executed her performance, blazing past pre-race favourite Britton Wilson in the closing stages.
Adeleke will have left Budapest disappointed but undoubtedly will be spurred on by failing to make the podium in the Hungarian capital.
Don't be surprised if she enters entirely new territory (i.e. sub 49 seconds) in 2024. A force to be reckoned with...
Ciara Mageean - 800m, 1500m, One Mile
Another star of Irish athletics who finished fourth in the world this year is Ciara Mageean who was so close to winning a 1500m medal in Budapest.
It was another impressive year for the Portaferry native who set Irish records in the 800m, 1500m and One Mile.
Her One Mile record of 4.14.58 set at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco ranks her as the fifth fastest woman of all-time over the distance.
It was a startling performance as Mageean dug deep to finish second behind Kenya's Faith Kipyegon who set an astonishing world record.
Thanks to @ChrisBrownSport who was sitting beside me, we have footage of @ciaramageean's closing few metres of her @irishathletics Mile National Record at the @MeetingHerculis @Diamond_League in Monaco on Friday.
She's now the FIFTH fastest miler in the world EVER! pic.twitter.com/fLavjfxrYQ— Seamus Carey (@SeamusCarey) July 25, 2023
It also took nearly three seconds off the previous record that had been held by the one and only Sonia O'Sullivan for twenty-nine years.
Mageean lowered her 1500m national record in the world final before taking another chunk off it to run 3.55.87 at the Brussels Diamond League meet in September.
The 800m record was taken down in May when the 31-year-old clocked 1.59.27 in Manchester.
Sarah Lavin - 100m Hurdles and 100m
Sarah Lavin had unquestionably the season of her life on the track in 2023 as she became 'Ireland's fastest woman' thanks to some exceptional performances.
Lavin broke the national 100m Hurdles record that had been held by Derval O'Rourke for thirteen years in the semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships, with a blisteringly quick 12.62 clocking.
That was good enough for the 29-year-old to finish joint tenth in the world and will give her real confidence going into the Olympic year.
“I’m finally the fastest Irishwoman to ever do this.”
Sarah Lavin reacts to breaking Derval O’Rourke’s 100m Hurdles national record that had stood since 2010 🤩 pic.twitter.com/UjxBW0lA1m— Rory Cassidy (@rorycassidy01) August 23, 2023
It came as a bit of a surprise when Lavin broke the national 100m record in Bellinzona, Switzerland in September, with her appearance at the meet even going slightly under the radar.
The Limerick woman ran a time of 11.27 to knock one hundreth of a second off the previous mark which had been held by Phil Healy since 2018.
Lavin admits that she wants to lower and retain her 100m Hurdles record for some time but is happy and hoping for the 100m record to change hands plenty of times in the years to come.
To put Lavin's achievements into perspective, 2023 was an exceptionally difficult year for her off the track with the tragic passing of her partner Craig Breen, a star of the rally driving world, following an accident back in April.
Brian Fay - 5000m
Brian Fay made the return back to Dublin from Washington earlier this year after completing his studies and has rejoined the Dublin Track Club under the tutelage of Feidhlim Kelly.
Fay broke the long-standing national 5000m record in July in the Netherlands crossing the line in a time of 13.01.40.
✨ FAY BREAKS NATIONAL 5000M RECORD ✨
Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrocks A.C.) has broken the long-standing national 5000m record this evening in Heusden, The Netherlands.
Fay clocked a time of 13.01.40 to knock two seconds off the mark Alistair Cragg set nearly twelve years ago… pic.twitter.com/1ez8w9S6I4— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 15, 2023
The previous record of 13.03 had been held by Alistair Cragg for twelve years.
The 25-year-old also set personal best's in the 1500m, One Mile and 3000m this year and will be looking to continue to improve in 2024.
Andrew Coscoran - 1500m
Another member of Feidhlim Kelly's stable, Coscoran broke the national 1500m record on a number of occasions in 2023.
His most memorable performance came at the Silesia Diamond League in Chorzow, Poland where he finished fourth in a world-class field in an incredible time of 3.30.42.
Coscoran had sat off the early pace and came through the field strongly.
The Balbriggan man will have his eyes set on breaking through the 3.30 barrier next year.
✨ Coscoran lowers own Irish 1500m record ✨
Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea A.C.) has lowered his own national 1500m record at the Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland this afternoon 🤩
⏱ 3.30.42 🤯
Result ➡ https://t.co/ndIBHFr4sb pic.twitter.com/IshKDrkFCX— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 16, 2023
The best of the rest...
It would be remiss not to mention some of the other Irish records set this year.
Tyrone teenager Nick Griggs broke Irish U20 records over 1500m, One Mile, 3000m and 5000m, while Elizabeth Ndudi also broke an U20 record in the Long Jump, leaping 6.56m to claim European gold in August.
In the U23 ranks, Sarah Healy became just the third Irish woman to ever break four minutes in the 1500m, clocking 3.59.68 in the World Championships semi-final in Budapest. In the field, Reece Ademola (Long Jump) and Nicola Tuthill (Hammer Throw) broke records with 7.97m and 67.85m respectively.
Eric Favors broke the national senior Shot Put record on several occasions, his best being 20.66m.
Israel Olatunde (6.57 - 60m), Mark Smyth (20.64 - 200m) and Kate O'Connor (4396 points - Pentathlon) also all set senior records in 2023. These three came indoors.
2024 sees the World Indoor Championships take place in March, European Outdoor Championships in June before the Olympic Games in late July/August.
A big year lies ahead for Irish athletics.
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