From Kilkenny to Slovenia - Manning named in strong Irish team for European championships

Cliodhna Manning has been selected on a 46-strong Irish team for the European Athletics Team Championships.

The Kilkenny City Harriers athlete, who was part of the Irish Olympic team for the Tokyo Games, has been named in the mixed 4x400m relay team. The championships will be held in Maribor, Slovenia on June 28 and 29.

Manning was last in international action when she competed with Arlene Crossan, Lauren Cadden and Rachel McCann in the women's 4x400m final at the European Athletics Indoor Championships at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in Apeldoorn, Netherlands in March.

Joining Manning on the team will be St Abban’s athlete Saragh Buggy. A multiple national title winner, Buggy will compete in the triple jump.

READ MORE: From injury to Olympics - Manning's incredible comeback

Competing in Division Two of the European Athletics Team Championships, Ireland will come up against 15 other countries who each field an athlete in every event. The top three teams will be promoted to Division One, while the bottom three teams will be relegated to Division Three.

Manning is among 10 Olympians included in an Irish side who will be looking for a strong showing following their promotion from Division Three in Krakow in 2023.

Saragh Buggy of Ireland in action in the women's triple jump at the Silesian Stadium during the European Games 2023 in Chorzow, Poland PICTURE: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

On the track two years ago, Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) stormed to victory in the Women’s 100m Hurdles, earning maximum points for Ireland. The Limerick native ultimately won European Games bronze. Having made the Olympic semi-final in Paris last year and finishing fourth in the 60m Hurdles earlier this year at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Lavin will have her eyes set on claiming victory again.

Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Cillín Greene (Galway City Harriers) will be in action over one lap in the 400m. Both impressed at the recent World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, where Ireland qualified a mixed and women’s 4x400m team for September’s World Athletics Championships.

At this event two years ago Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) made her Irish senior international debut. Since then, she has gone on to win a European under-23 title over 1,500m as well as competing at the World Athletics Championships and Olympic Games. She steps down in distance this time round and will race in the Women’s 800m.

Irish 5000m record holder Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) will also take his place on the start line in Maribor, looking for a strong performance as his season builds.

Cliodhna Manning, Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC), Arlene Crossan (Finn Valley AC), Ciaran Carthy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Callum Baird (Ballymena and Antrim AC) join Sophie Becker and Cillín Greene in being selected for the Mixed 4×400 Relay which will be the final event of the weekend.

In the field, Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) is selected for the Women’s Hammer Throw. The Paris Olympian has been in excellent early season form, extending her Irish under-23 record for the event to 71.71m in Finland yesterday. She is now just 1.5 metres off the Irish record set by Kilkenny City Harriers athlete Eileen O’Keeffe in 2007.

Team Ireland athletes (from left) Cliodhna Manning, Arlene Crossan, Lauren Cadden and Rachel McCann before the women's 4x400m final on day four of the European Athletics Indoor Championships 2025 at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in Apeldoorn, Netherlands PICTURE: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Fellow Olympian Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock AC) will be looking to impress in the Men’s Shot Put. Favors is the Irish record holder for the event, with a lifetime best of 20.93 metres achieved last year.

The other nations competing in Division Two will be Denmark, Croatia, Slovenia, Israel, Belgium, Austria, Romania, Norway, Bulgaria, Estonia, Cyprus, Turkey, Latvia, Slovakia and Serbia.

"We are delighted to be fielding such a strong team for the 2025 edition of the European Athletics Team Championships," said Paul McNamara, Athletics Ireland High Performance Director. "This is a very special event, as any athlete that has had the privilege to compete in it knows. The team element brings out the best in our athletes and finishing high up the table is a priority for all."