2024 was a year to remember for Irish Athletics as the sport achieved unprecented success from youth level all the way up to the senior ranks.
There was a plethora of medals won in championships from the European U18's to the World Athletics Relays. Medals aren't the only barometer of success however and some world class performances that were ultimately near misses lifted the nation.
Here Balls.ie looks back at some of the standout moments from a memorable year...
Mixed Relay gold in Rome
A 'Reeling in the Years' moment for Irish Athletics as Christopher O'Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley combined to win gold in the Mixed 4x400m Relay at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.
"Just hold your nerve, she's holding her nerve" is commentary from Greg Allen that will be remembered fondly for years to come as Mawdsley pulled clear in the closing fifty metres.
🥇🇮🇪 A golden night for Irish athletics!
Sit back and relive the race, reaction and revelry as Chris O'Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley made history and ruled Europe in Friday's 4x400 mixed relay final
🎙️ @gregallenRTE pic.twitter.com/bPMneZpq2e— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 8, 2024
All four athletes ran sublimely as they won Ireland's first gold medal at the championships since Sonia O'Sullivan won both the 5000m and 10,000m back in 1998.
Ciara's crowning glory
Ciara Mageean had achieved her fair share of success at the European Athletics Championships winning bronze in 2016 and silver in 2022 over 1500m, however a gold medal had eluded her.
That was until this summer in Rome when on a balmy June night the 32-year-old from Portaferry became European champion in sensational fashion.
Ciara Mageean bursting through two British runners to claim gold on the home stretch.
Things you love to see!!!pic.twitter.com/OR0PE409o2— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) June 9, 2024
With 100 metres to go Mageean was boxed in, with no apparent way out. But suddenly she found a gap between British athletes Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell and using her elbows pushed through, her camogie skills serving her well.
It was an incredibly emotional moment for Mageean when the following day she mounted the podium and heard Amhrán na bhFiann being played for her for the first time, a moment she and Irish athletics fans will cherish forever.
Women's Relay agony
It was so close yet so far. The Irish Women's 4x400m relay team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley came within a whisker of winning an Olympic medal in Paris as they finished fourth.
The devestation that night is difficult to comprehend but as the tears flowed in the mixed zone amongst the athletes and media alike the scale of what the team achieved began to become clear.
Their time of 3:19.90 would've won them silver in every Olympic final apart from 1988. But painfully in 2024 it wasn't to be.
Paris 2024: "This team belongs in major finals."
Tears and pride from Ireland's women's 4x400 relay team after a performance to remember in the Olympic final
📺 Live on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ
📱 Updates https://t.co/Xy3If3Ako5#Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/icCMRwyLA4— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 10, 2024
Becker, Adeleke, Healy and Mawdsley have had a transformative effect on Irish athletics however. Their trademark hair bows are now worn by young athletes at meets the lenght and breadth of the country and they have become phenomenal role medals.
Hopefully 2025 will be the year they collectively make a podium.
A year to remember for Irish Athletics
From Paradise to Paris
The May Bank Holiday weekend was a glorious one for Irish athletics at the World Athletics Relays in Nassau, the Bahamas. Ireland sent two teams (women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m) with the goal of qualifying both for the Olympic Games in Paris. Both teams exceeded expectations.
On the Saturday night the mixed team broke the national record, won their heat to make the final and thus qualified for Paris. Just ninety minutes later the exact same turn of events took place for the women's team, with Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley sensationally running both races.
The mixed relay was fully loaded for the final, with Adeleke and Mawdsley being joined by Cillín Greene and Thomas Barr. The team again lowered their national record to win a memorable bronze medal behind only the USA and the Netherlands. It was a dream weekend for the team which set them up nicely for the summer that was to come.
Orla's Paralympic success
Orla Comerford showed her class in Paris when she won bronze in the T13 100m at the Stade de France.
The Raheny Shamrock athlete clocked a time of 11.94 seconds, just outside her personal best of 11.90 seconds, to make the podium.
It was a fitting achievement for the 27-year-old who had competed at two previous Paralympic Games. Despite her aim of winning gold not being realised, in reflection Comerford was delighted with her medal.
Watch as Orla Comerford in a time of 11.94 won bronze for Ireland in the 100m T13 at the Paralympic Games #RTEparalympics #paris2024
📺Watch @rte2 @rteplayer
📱Updates https://t.co/nBSbBucybs pic.twitter.com/eZHkTk4XnN— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 3, 2024
With LA four years away and the Dubliner on an upward trajectory, the future looks very bright.
Rhasidat's silver in Rome
It is often worth reminding yourself that Rhasidat Adeleke only turned 22 at the end of August.
She has already achieved so much in her young career holding every single Irish senior women's sprint record from 60m all the way up to 400m.
At the European Athletics Championships in Rome however she won her first individual senior international medal, ticking a big goal off her bucket list.
While she would've wanted gold, her run for silver was world class. Her time of 49.07 seconds was a new personal best but just wasn't enough to see off the challenge of Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek who won gold.
While initially very disappointed, by the time she had made her way to the mixed zone Rhasidat was smiling, realising a silver was a simply fantastic result.
Joyce's Javelin Joy
Oisin Joyce, remember the name.
The 19-year-old from Mayo made history in Lima, Peru at the end of August when he won Ireland's first throws medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships in the men's javelin, securing bronze.
His throw of 73.89 metres in the final (Irish U20 record) was enough to make the podium against the odds.
IT'S A HISTORIC BRONZE 🥉😭
Oisin Joyce (Lake District AC) wins Ireland's first ever throws medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships claiming a superb bronze in the Men's Javelin 🤩
The Mayo man extended his own Irish U20 record throwing 73.89m to make the podium!… pic.twitter.com/hUeWYBcHjg— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 29, 2024
Coached by his father Pádraic, Joyce also receives advice from national senior record holder Terry McHugh who competed at six Olympic Games - four summer Games (javelin) and two winter Games (bobsleigh).
With a European U23 Championships to look forward to next summer, the future looks bright for Joyce.
Medal rush at European U18s
Ireland had their most successful European U18 Athletics Championships in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia in July.
Five Irish athletes took home medals over the course of the four day championships.
Cavan based athlete Thomas Williams claimed a sensational gold medal in the Hammer Throw, Ireland's first medal in the event at these championships.
Earlier in the week Offaly thrower Cian Crampton had won Ireland's first field event medal at the European U18 Championships when he claimed bronze in the Discus.
There was also no shortage of medal success on the track as Seamus Clarke (silver - 5000m Race Walk) Conor Kelly (bronze - 400m), Joe Burke (bronze - 200m) mounted the podiums of their respective events.
Rhasidat's 100m record in Santry
Nearly 6000 people descended on Santry's Morton Stadium on the last Sunday of June for the 123.ie National Track and Field Championships.
It was a glorious sight as the stand and adjacent hill was packed to capacity as younger and older fans of the sport gathered to watch their heroes.
One such hero for many is Rhasidat Adeleke who had made no secret of her ambitions to claim the national 100m record, the only Irish female senior sprint record that had eluded her.
Having comfortably advanced to the final, Adeleke returned to the track a couple of hours later and unleashed a performance for the ages, winning gold in 11.13 seconds, 0.14 seconds faster than Sarah Lavin's previous record.
A World class performance from Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght A.C.) 🤩
Running 11.13, she obliterates the Irish 100m National record and now holds all National sprint records over 100m, 200m & 400m 👏
🥈Sarah Lavin (Emerald A.C.) 11.37
🥉Mollie O'Reilly (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.)… pic.twitter.com/W5EndGIYpa— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 30, 2024
Rhasidat delighted fans after by spending the guts of two hours taking selfies and signing autographs for anyone who asked!
Fionnuala's fifth Olympics
Irish Olympic history was made on the final day of Paris 2024 when Wicklow woman Fionnuala McCormack became the first woman from her country to compete at five Olympic Games.
McCormack, who has had a prolific career on the track, the roads and of course in Cross Country, raced in the women's marathon where she finished inside the top thirty (28th) in the event for the third successive Olympics.
Since then McCormack has ran a personal best over the distance (2:23:46) at the Valencia Marathon in December and looks set to continue her running career.
Could a sixth Olympic Games appearance be on the horizon in LA?
SEE ALSO: “I’ve Been A Nearly Man Twice Now": Griggs Rues Missed Opportunities After European Silver
