If the distinguished nature of the company he now joins is anything to go by then no wonder Thomas Barr looked so properly chuffed at winning his gold medal at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea.
Barr had always been one of the gold medal favourites going into the 400 metres hurdles final, with the times to prove it. Still he needed to call on all his class and competitive instinct to actually win it, nailing the victory in 48.78 seconds, actually the second fastest time of his life.
It was just short of the Irish record of 48.65 seconds that Barr ran in the Rome Diamond League last month, and in truth the Waterford athlete needed to run that quick: coming off the last hurdle, Barr looked in danger of having to settle for silver, as Abdelma Lahoulou of Algeria had stolen the lead.
Only Barr had more in reserve, kicking again in the final 20 metres for the win. Lahoulou still ran a personal best of 48.99, with Ivan Shablyuev from Russia taking bronze, also in a personal best of 49.04.
“Literally surreal,” is how Barr described the victory, “and it’s only beginning to sink in”. And so Barr, still only 22 and representing the University of Limerick, becomes only the fourth ever Irish athletic to win gold in the 38 editions of the World University Games, now staged every two years, and also held in other incarnations since 1923.
In all those years, the only other Irish athletes to win gold in track and field were Ronnie Delany, Sonia O’Sullivan and Niall Bruton. Delany won gold over 800m in Sofia in 1961, before O’Sullivan and Bruton both captured 1,500m titles within a few hours of each other, in Sheffield in 1991.
Around the same time, at the nearby Nambu University Aquatics Centre, Fiona Doyle captured her second World University Games medal by winning silver in 50 metres breaststroke. The Limerick swimmer, now based in the University of Calgary, won bronze earlier in the week in the 100 metres breaststroke, and went one place better this time.
‘Absolutely delighted’
Doyle’s time of 31.09 seconds was just off her own Irish record of 30.93 seconds, all the more impressive given she wasn’t feeling her best.
“I’m absolutely delighted, and a bit shocked, as I haven’t been feeling great the past few days,” she said. “But to add another medal is fantastic for me and for Team Ireland. I’m really excited for the World Championships now (in Kazan next month), and I want to improve my times and work towards the perfect race.”
The gold medal there went to the Ukrainian Mariia Liver, in 30.73, with bronze going to both Martina Carraro (Italy) and Emma Reaney (USA) in a tied time of 31.11.
Back on the track, Ciara Everard from UCD had to settle for sixth place over 800m, running close to her best in 2:02.46. Victory there went to Angela Petty from New Zealand, her time 1:59.06. And John Travers from Athlone IT ran a brave race in the 1,500m to place ninth in a time of 3.42.63. Victory there went going to the Russian Aleksei Kharitonov in 3:39.13
Elsewhere, the Ireland women’s soccer side went on a goal spree to overwhelm Columbia 8-0 in their play-off game for places 13th-16th. Sue Ronan’s squad had only managed to net two goals in their previous four ties, but Julie Ann Russell got them off the mark with the opener on 28 minutes, then doubled the score. Substitute Claire O’Riordan added two more followed by a brace from Siobhan Killeen with Orlaigh Nolan and Jennifer Byrne also getting on the score sheet. Ireland next face South Africa on Sunday morning in the play-off tie for places 13th-14th.
Fast finish
Also getting underway at the European Under-23 Athletics Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, were Mark English and Karl Griffin, who both advanced to the semi-finals of the 800m. English ran in the final heat and he had to muster up a fast finish in the home straight to finish joint second in 1:52.97. “It was a slow race,” reflected English. “My body is not 100 per cent at the minute so I’m actually quite happy how I performed in the last 200m.”
