Ireland’s Gina Akpe-Moses has claimed gold in the 100m at the European Athletics Under-20 Championships in Italy.
Running into a strong headwind in Grosseto, Akpe-Moses reeled in Norway’s Ingvild Meinseth, who exploded out of the blocks, and repelled the late thrust of Germany’s Keshia Kwadwo to stop the clock in 11.71 seconds.
Race favourite Kwado, who recorded the fastest time in qualifying, took silver, with a tiring Meinseth rounding off the podium places.
Limerick’s Ciara Neville also lined up in the final, finishing seventh in 11.98.
Akpe-Moses recorded a personal best of 11.56 in more favourable conditions in the semi-finals, 0.16 outside Ailis McSweeney’s national record, which was set seven years ago.
The 18-year-old was born in Nigeria but moved to Ireland at the age of three, where her family settled in Dundalk.
Akpe-Moses now lives in Birmingham but has only ever represented Ireland, with her previous best international results coming in the European Youth Olympics in 2015, where she finished second in both the 100m and 200m.
GOLD FOR IRELAND!
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 21, 2017
Gina Akpe-Moses wins the 100m at the European U20 Championships in 11.71 from Germany's Keshia Kwadwo. #Grosseto2017 pic.twitter.com/UbMdSA0njQ
Speaking afterwards, a beaming Akpe-Moses said: "The start was okay, I wasn’t out first but I knew I could get them, and the last 30 I had to hit it hard and I was catching up to them.
"I could see them in the side of my eye, and I knew I just had to keep pushing to get to the finishing line and I just made sure it was the strongest run of my life. And I got the gold.
"It’s just amazing, I don’t know how to describe it. I’m just so so happy I got a gold medal."
Gina Akpe-Moses on being the 100m European U20 champ! #grosseto2017 pic.twitter.com/siamcYuRk0
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 21, 2017
It was a great evening of athletics for Ireland, with Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) and Kate O'Connor (St Gerard's Dundalk) finishing fifth and eighth in a high-quality heptathlon.
Morland set a new Under-20, Under-23 and senior record of 5,801 points, with 16-year-old O'Connor scoring 5,759 points, which is more points than the Irish youth record. However, the implements are different so that will have to be ratified.
Christopher O'Donnell, Michaela Walsh and Nadia Power also made finals of their respective events.
O'Donnell made the 400m final, winning his semi-final in 46.78. Walsh reached the shot put and hammer finals with throws of 15.39m and 62.23m. Power qualified for the 1500m final in a personal best of 4:22.82.
