That Rhasidat Adeleke was disappointed with the shade of the medal she won in Monday evening’s 400m final says something of the heights she has reached at the age of just 21 – and the level of her ambition. But, writes Ian O’Riordan, she came “oh so close” to producing an “absolute masterpiece of one-lap running” that would have yielded her a second gold, and a third for Ireland, in the space of four days. In the end, despite smashing her own Irish record of 49.20, she was pipped to the post by Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek in a thriller of a race. It was Adeleke’s first senior individual medal and, as Ian says, “surely not her last”. Andrew Coscoran has a medal on his mind too after qualifying for the 1,500m final, but Thomas Barr missed out on a place in the 400m hurdles final by ... .04 of a second. Gulp.
There are no medals up for grabs in Aveiro this evening, but if the Republic of Ireland can avoid defeat by Portugal they should probably be given an open-top bus parade on their return to Dublin. Gavin Cummiskey previews the friendly which could see Cristiano Ronaldo start his last international on home soil, 206 caps and 128 goals since he made his debut.
In Gaelic games, Michael Murphy writes about the worrying “litany of high-profile injuries” in football, despite players never being “more diligent, harder working or better supported”. What’s at the root of it? He looks at the possible causes – and solutions.
Gordon Manning, meanwhile, examines “the latest false dawn for Dublin hurling” after Saturday’s 16-point defeat by Kilkenny in the Leinster final, and Seán Moran reports on the Football Review Committee’s upcoming trial matches that will feature some rule tweaks, the aim to address issues that have emerged from public consultation.
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Owen Doyle wouldn’t mind seeing some changes in rugby either so that dangerous play can be eliminated, the sport “living in a world where concussion and dementia exist”. He also looks at the quality of the refereeing in this season’s URC. “Sorry to say,” he writes, “the match officials have not kept pace with the demands of the challenges we now see.”
In golf, Philip Reid talks to Tom McKibbin ahead of his first Major appearance, at this week’s US Open, and in racing Brian O’Connor has news that the Irish Derby has received a fillip with the entry of Epsom Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly – badly needed news too after the announcement that Epsom winner City Of Troy would be a no-show, his connections opting to run him instead in Sandown’s Eclipse a week later.
TV Watch: RTÉ 2′s coverage of the European Athletics Championships continues this morning (9am-12.05pm), and this evening John O’Shea’s Republic of Ireland side take on Portugal in a friendly in Aveiro (RTÉ 2 & Premier Sports 1, 7.45pm).
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