Ireland currently lead the way in Division 3 of athletics after 25 of the 37 events have been completed at the European Games in Krakow, with Sarah Lavin cruising to victory in the Women's 100m hurdles race.
The team, which features some of the biggest names in Irish athletics, is now seven points ahead of main rivals Austria.
The competition doubles up as the European Team Championships, with 44 athletes named on the Irish team, with the main objective of moving out of Division 3. The top three teams will be promoted to Division 2.
The day’s action got off to the ideal start for the Irish with both male and female sprint hurdlers delivering victories which secured a maximum 15 points. Cork teenager James Ezeonu won the 110m hurdles (14.31), with Lavin then delivering in her event.
Lavin’s time of 12.82 is the second fastest ever in her career and just 0.03s off her personal best which she set at the European Championships in Munich last year.
"It was a really good performance," she said afterwards. "I tried to treat it like round one of a championship. 12.82 is a good run at any time of the day."
Tokyo 2020 Olympian Louise Shanahan was impressive as she took maximum points in the 800m clocking 2.03.39.
Thomas Barr, who finished fourth at the Olympics in Rio seven years ago, showed his experience as he took victory in the 400m hurdles (49.41).
The Waterford athlete, who is based in Limerick, is one of the two captains selected for the event by Athletics Ireland alongside Phil Healy, a role he is relishing.
"It’s a great honour. Both myself and Phil have said that we’re honoured to be leading out such a team because I can remember back to when my first Team Championships was and looking up to other athletes like David Gillick. It’s nice to be in a position now with all the experience I have to help anyone I can along the way."
Cathal Doyle from Dublin had a strong run in the 1500m finishing second in 3.43.36, while Donegal’s Kelly McGrory finished just outside her season’s best in the 400m Hurdles, crossing the line in second place (58.08).
The men’s 4x100m relay team of Israel Olatunde, Mark Smyth, Christopher Sibanda and Joseph Ojewumi just about held on for victory clocking 39.57, while the women’s team of Sarah Leahy, Mollie O’Reilly, Joan Healy and Adeyemi Talabi finished second.
In the field events, there were wins for both Ellie McCartney (Women’s Pole Vault) and Sean Mockler (Men’s Hammer Throw). Laois woman Saragh Buggy was third in the Triple Jump, while Colin Quirke was fifth in the discus.
Reece Ademola, unfortunately, did not achieve a legal jump in the long jump.
The action concludes tomorrow with just twelve events remaining.
In padel, a mix between tennis and squash, Team Ireland’s women’s double team of Jennifer Claffey and Susan McRann lost out to Germany’s Victoria Kurz and Denise Hoefer 2-0 in the round of 32.
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