World U20 Championships: Meet the Irish Young Guns Ready to Take on the Best

by Perri Williams

Athletics Ireland has announced a fifteen-member team for the World u20 Championships which will be held in Peru between the 27th and 31st August. The team will include two relay squads and a cohort of more experienced young athletes who have already competed at previous iterations of European u18 and u20 championships.

The 2023 European u20 champion Elizabeth Ndudi (Dundrum South Dublin) is included in the selection. Ndudi took gold in the European Long Jump last year, the first gold medal Ireland ever won in a European u20 field event. Dublin born Ndudi who moved to France when she was eleven, now attends the University of Illinois. In April of this year she broke the 14-year-old Irish long jump record, jumping an impressive 6.68 metres. This places her second on the World u20 ranking list.

Seasoned major championship competitor Oisin Joyce (Lake District) boosts a personal best of 73.72m in the javelin. In 2022 the Lake District AC athlete finished 4th in the u18 Europeans and followed this up last year with a sixth-place finish at the u20 Europeans. Against a headwind Joyce threw 70.56 meters last weekend to win the u20 National Championships. He currently ranks sixth on the World u20 ranking list.

Two athletes have been selected for the 400m hurdles, Fintan Dewhirst (Tir Chonaill AC) and David Davitt (Clonliffee Harriers). Dewhirst has already competed at European level and bring some experience to his race in Peru. While Davitt recently qualified from his recent performance in Belgium.

The distance runners are represented by Lughaidh Mallon (Lagan Valley) and Jonas Stafford (UCD). Mallon is another seasoned athlete who has previous competed in both the European u18 and u20 Championships. Competing over 1500m he has a best time of 3.43 recorded at a BMC in London two weeks ago. The Mark Kirk coached athlete is currently ranked 48th u20 athlete in the world. Jonas Stafford will compete in the 3000m. On the back of a phenomenal 2023 Cross Country season where he finished 10th in the European Cross Country, he secured his seasons best of 8.04.95 at an indoor competition in January of this year. Stafford sustained an injury that kept him out of competitive action for most of the year. Returning to competition last weekend he finished second in the Steeplechase.

Sean Doggett surprised even himself with an amazing run in Belfast in May which ranks him 43rd in World u20 ranking list over 400m. He was subsequently selected as part of the Irish team for the European Senior 4x400m relay in Rome. Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) will line up in the 100m. He boosts a personal best of 10.39 which he set at the National Senior Championships on June 30th where he finished 3rd behind Israel Olatundu and Bori Akenola.

There are two relay teams selected, a men’s 4x400m and a 4x400m mixed relay team. On the back of Ireland’s recent success in relay’s this should inspire the athletes considerably. Competing on relay teams are; Niamh Murray (Bray Runners), Daisy Walker Monaghan Phoenix), Amy Jo Kierans (Oriel AC), Conor Kelly (Derry Track), Adam Courtney (Ballymena and Antrim), Stephen Mannion (South Galway AC), Sean Doggett (Athenry AC), Fintan Dewhirst (Tir Connaill AC) and David Davitt (Clonliffe Harriers AC).

Selected

Name

Club

Coach(es)

Event(s)

Elizabeth Ndudi

DSD AC

Petros Kyprianou

Long Jump

Oisin Joyce

Lake District AC

Padraic Joyce

Javelin

Sean Aigboboh

Tallaght AC

Daniel Kilgallon

100m

Fintan Dewhirst

Tir Chonaill AC

Brian Mc Gonagle

400mh

Men’s 4x400m

David Davitt

Clonliffe Harriers

Timmy Crowe

400mh

Mixed 4x400m

Men’s 4x400m

Sean Doggett

Athenry AC

Stephen Doggett

400m

Mixed 4x400m

Men’s 4x400m

Lughaidh Mallon

Lagan Valley AC

Mark Kirk

1500m

Jonas Stafford

UCD AC

Feidhlim Kelly

3000m*

(subject to form & fitness)

Niamh Murray

Bray Runners

Aine Murray

Mixed 4x400m

Daisy Walker

Monaghan Phoenix AC

Brian Peppard

Mixed 4x400m

Amy Jo Kierans

Oriel AC

Peadar O’Corragain

Mixed 4x400m

Conor Kelly

Derry Track Club

Paul Miller

Mixed 4x400m

Men’s 4x400m

Adam Curtney

Ballymena & Antrim AC

Ian Neeley & Dougie Thom

Men’s 4x400m

Stephen Mannion

South Galway AC

Jim Phelan

Men’s 4x400m

Maria Zakharenko

Kilcoole AC

Buntu Mlisana

Mixed 4x400m

Non-travelling Reserve