The 2021 European Indoor Championships start in the Arena Toruń in Poland at 6pm Irish time tonight.
Although 2019 medallist Ciara Mageean pulled out citing a lack of form and Cork distance runner Darragh McElhinney withdrew after a 'weak positive' Covid test, Team Ireland have 22 athletes participating in the 36th edition of the championships, which in total features a record 733 athletes from 47 countries.
Several athletes will be looking to target finals, most notably 800m record breakers Siofra Cleirigh Buttner and Nadia Power, along with Andrew Coscoran (1500m) and Sean Tobin and John Travers (3000m).
Cian McPhillips and Israel Olatunde are stars of the future and will earn valuable senior championship experience, and they are joined by senior championship debutants John Fitzsimons, Luke McCann and Georgie Hartigan.
Four of the 22 will be in action on day one. The first Irish athlete to take to the track will be Michelle Finn in round 1 of the 3000m at 6.30pm.
Coscoran, Paul Robinson and Luke McCann will compete in round 1 of the 1500m at 19.20pm.
Tomorrow will see Healy, Sophie Becker and Sharlene Mawdsley race in round 1 of the 400m at 10.22am and the semi-finals will start at 6.33pm.
Recent 800m record breakers Cleirigh Buttner and Power will go in round 1 of the 800m alongside Hartigan at 12pm (Irish time).
The men’s 800 is set to start at 6.55pm where we’ll see Irish 800m record holder Mark English, who was on the podium in Glasgow two years ago, line up with recent rivals Cian McPhillips and John Fitzsimons.
- Women’s 400m Semi Final 6.33pm Irish Time
- Men’s 1500m Final 8.35pm Irish Time
Saturday morning will be a busy one for Team Ireland with Leon Reid, Olatunde, and Dean Adams in the starting blocks at 9.18am for round 1 of the 60m. The semi-finals are to take place at 12.50pm and the final at 7.58pm.
Tobin and Travers will be in action in round 1 of the 3000m, scheduled for 10.25am.
Sarah Lavin will round off the Irish athletes competing in Saturday’s morning session as she takes her place in round 1 of the 60m hurdles at 11.10am.
- Men’s 60m Semi Final 12.50pm Irish Time
- Women’s 800m Semi Final 6.pm Irish Time
- Men’s 800m Semi Final 6.25pm Irish Time
- Women’s 400m Final 7.25pm Irish Time
- Men’s 60m Final 7.58pm Irish Time
The Women’s 60m sprinters will be the last to make an appearance with Ciara Neville, Joan Healy and Molly Scott all set to go in round 1 at 9.18am on Sunday - and will be hoping for a quick turnaround with the 60m semi-finals scheduled for 11.40am.
- Women’s 60m Semi Final 11.40am Irish Time
- Women’s 60m Hurdles Semi Final 12.20pm Irish Time
- Women’s 60m Hurdles Final 16.15pm Irish Time
- Men’s 3000m Final 16.52pm Irish Time
- Women’s 800m Final 17.13pm Irish Time
- Men’s 800m Final 17.25pm Irish Time
- Women’s 60m Final 17.46pm Irish Time
