Medal glory is so special for Irish sports supporters, over the past number of days in Paris at the European Aquatic Championships and in Birmingham for the European Athletics Championship where a number of medals have been won in the pool and on the track with a few more to maybe be added in the next few hours and days.
Irish athletes have won medals with Mark English in the 800m Final last night and then to cap another special hour in Irish Athletics, Rhasidat Adeleke finished 2nd in the 200m, Mark English won another European medal by winning Gold to add to his impressive haul at European level and Adeleke winning Silver.
In the pool, Mona Mc Sharry and Ellen Walshe won medals with Mc Sharry winning Silver in the 100m breastroke and Walshe winning Gold in the 400m individual medley. Both ladies will take part in the 200m breastroke final that will take place this evening and both will feel they can double up and aim for more medal glory.
It has been great to see the coverage that both Championships have received this week and to see the support that all athletes in both the pool and track have received is always special to see. The team across both Championships has been quite big in numbers and also to see the effort that goes in to see how many of these athletes can make semi-finals or finals in their chosen disciplines are always a sight to behold.
This week has also educated yours truly in certain ways as both athletics and swimming would play second fiddle to a number of other sports in Ireland. The time and effort that goes into getting an athlete into the right frame of mind as well as trying to be in peak fitness for the key events is an education in itself.
This week, everyone is an expert of course and I’ll defiantly hear the old chestnut of, I could do that blindfolded etc and I could swim quicker than that. Having watched a fair amount of the action this week, I highly doubt that majority could do what has been done this week contrary to the usual bar stool experts that I hear on a regular basis.
There is still plenty of action to come over the next few days and Ireland will be hoping to add to the medal haul in the pool and on the track before both Championships end.
When Irish athletes win medals it is to be celebrated because even now in 2026 what is seldom is still wonderful. Congratulations to those medal winners and maybe with a bit of luck we might just add to the medal total in the next few hours and days….