The European Indoors Athletics Championships kick off in Istanbul on Thursday, with events taking place at the Atakoy Arena until Sunday evening.
Fourteen athletes will represent Team Ireland in Turkey with Israel Olatunde coming into the event off the back of setting a new Irish 60m record of 6.57 seconds earlier this month at the National Championships at Abbotstown.
Mark English, twice a European Indoors medallist, has been forced to withdraw due to illness.
English, who was due to compete in the heats of the 800m later this evening, is disappointed not to be taking his place on the start line.
He said: "I came here in great shape, but unfortunately I'm not in a position to do myself justice."
John Fitzsimons will be the first Irish athlete on track when he competes in the heats of that event.
Ireland's fastest man Israel Olatunde returns to European competition on the back recent record-breaking heroics and the Munich 2022 finalist is sure to have sights on making another international final.
Olatunde will be in heats action early Saturday morning (6.20am) and the man ranked eighth in Europe is hopeful that the form of Munich, by fans and athletes, could spur Team Ireland to great things.
'It's an honour to have all that attention, but it does come with added pressure’ - Ireland’s fastest man @IsraelOlatunde5 tells @DavidGillick on dealing with a breakout 2022 season
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 2, 2023
Live coverage of the European Indoors on @RTEOne, @rte2, @rtenews and @rteplayer pic.twitter.com/bCtO8uHpXa
"Knowing that you are part of something so great and being able to make our country proud means a lot," he said.
"In Munich, the atmosphere really was what spurred us on to the great performances. Seeing other people put on some great indoor performances this season, especially Rhasidat [Adeleke] over in the United States tearing it up, really inspires me to push on and do whatever I can to push the boundaries."
National 400m champion Sophie Becker will look to progress through Friday's heats, along with Sharlene Mawdsley and Cliodhna Manning.
The Raheny Shamrock athlete claimed the Irish title on her first outing of the season with a dominant display and a time of 53.11, while Mawdsley boasts a PB this season of 51.91.
400m runner @sophiebecker_ explains how she manages her work/life balance.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 1, 2023
Becker is one of 15 athletes representing @TeamIreland
at the European Indoors Athletics Championships in Istanbul.
📺 Watch live coverage starts tomorrow on @RTEOne, @rte2, @rtenews and @rteplayer pic.twitter.com/letSoRpFyQ
"I don’t want to just be there, I want to make it through the rounds," Becker told RTÉ Sport.
"Three years ago (when she won the 400m national title) it (51.11) would have been one of the fastest times in the country, but now you need to be taking a second off that."
David Gillick will be in the Atakoy Arena providing live trackside reaction as part of RTÉ Sport's extensive coverage of the four days of action.
Team Ireland heat times: (Irish time)
Thursday 2 March
800m heats: John Fitzsimons, 4.14pm
1500m heats: Andrew Coscoran, 6.15pm, Luke McCann, 6.25pm
Friday 3 March
6:00-6:07 Pentathlon 60m heats: Kate O'Connor
6:45 Pentathlon High Jump: Kate O'Connor
7:40-9:12 400m heats: Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker, Cliodhna Manning
9:05-12:33 60m heats: Joan Healy
9:30 Pentathlon Shot Put: Kate O'Connor
16:10 Pentathlon Long Jump: Kate O'Connor
18:05-18.13 Pentathlon 800m heats: Kate O'Connor
Saturday 4 March
6:20-6:48 60m Hurdles heats: Israel Olatunde
7:00 3000m heats: Darragh McElhinney
7:35-7:59 60m Hurdles heats: Sarah Lavin
Sunday 5 March
16:25 4x400m final Women
Watch live coverage of the European Indoors Athletics Championships across RTÉ One, RTÉ 2, RTÉ News and the RTÉ Player
