Israel Olatunde ran a season's best time of 10.31 seconds to reach the semi-finals of the men's 100m at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.
Running from lane six in heat two, Olatunde came home third and was comfortably amongst the 14 competitors, in eight place, who will contest the semis on Saturday.
"I feel good; I just want to come out here, give a good performance and get through the rounds," was Olatunde's reaction when he spoke to RTÉ Sport afterwards.
"It's a bit weird with the qualification process this time, the top-14 fastest times. I just had to go out and race and finish as high as you can, that's what championships are all about."
A strong finish in the last 30 metres was key in Olatunde's progression, and on that, he added: "That's what me and my coach Daniel Kilgallon have been working on; it's all a process and it's about getting better race by race. I'm excited for the semi-finals tomorrow."
Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy both advanced to the final of the 1500m.
Mageean clocked four minutes 6.81 seconds as Britain's Jemma Reekie won the first of two heats in 4:06.68, with Italy's Ludovica Cavalli filling the runner-up berth.
"The aim was to be in the top six," Mageean told RTÉ Sport afterwards. "I came into it with a plan to try and not waste too much energy out there.
"I'm maybe not as comfortable running a bit further back in the field. But I had a race in Ostrava where I did that and came through. So I had every belief in myself that nobody's running faster than me over the last 200.
"So I just kept myself there or thereabouts, make sure I'm in that top six. That's job done for Sunday now."
Ciara Mageean finishes third in her 1500m heat to advance to the final at the European Athletics Championships. pic.twitter.com/nYOsLf3dI3
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 7, 2024
Healy survived a nervy heat, narrowly avoiding getting entangled in a collision in the opening lap, en route to a fourth-place finish, sealing her place in the final.
The Dubliner posted a time of 4:12.30, with France's Agathe Guillemot winning the slower of the two heats in 4:11.92.
"I'm very relieved, this is my first ever senior final," Healy said.
"I was definitely ranked on paper to get through. But I of all people knew that's not a guarantee. It was not an enjoyable race to be part of at all. It was scary and I had to kind of keep my nerve."
Sarah Healy places fourth in her 1500m heat to join Ciara Mageean in the final at the European Athletics Championships. pic.twitter.com/Ng5Hzlk0XA
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 7, 2024
There was disappointment for Mark English who was eliminated at the first hurdle in the 800m after running fifth in his heat.
The two-time European bronze medallist – in 2014 and 2022 – went off quickly and headed the field at the halfway point.
However, he slipped into third coming around the final bend and then was overhauled by two further runners in the home straight.
In a highly competitive heat, Spain's Adrian Ben and Great Britain's Elliot Giles occupied the top two spots.
The Donegal athlete clocked a time of 1:46.73, insufficient to claim one of the four non-automatic qualifier places.
Two-time Olympian Michelle Finn was well outside the qualifying places in her heat in the 3000m steeplechase.
With the top eight finishers progressing, the 34-year old Cork woman fell out of contention from early on and ultimately came home in 15th place.
Competing in her first senior championships, Dublin City Harriers competitor Jodie McCann ran a personal best time of 15 minutes 29.25 seconds when coming home 17th in the final of the 5,000m.
In the men's shot put, Eric Favors just missed out on making the top-12 and with it a place in the final.
American-born Favors, the Irish national record holder threw 19.39, 19.46, 19.60 to finish 14th overall.
