Cian McPhillips have been selected for his senior international debut at the European Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland on March 5-7.
McPhillips is named in a squad of 24 athlete’s one of the largest panels Ireland has ever sent to these championships.
“It’s a great achievement, I’m up against the big boys” smiled 18-year-old leaving cert student McPhillips.
“I'm looking forward to a great weekend over there” added McPhillips, “I’m going to be racing against the big lads, so I’ll have to see how I get on”.
2019 European Indoor bronze medallists Mark English and Ciara Mageean, return along with semi-finalist Phil Healy.
There are several performers who can additionally target a final or better, most notably Irish 800m record breakers Siofra Cleirigh Buttner and Nadia Power, along with Andrew Coscoran, Sean Tobin and John Travers.
McPhillips is joined in the 800 metres by Mark English and training partner John Fitzsimmons of Kildare AC both are coached by Joe Ryan.
Former Longford athlete End Fitzpatrick is coach to Nadia Power whose four day old Irish 800m record was broken by Siofra Cleirigh Buttner on Sunday night.
“It has been a remarkable indoor season so far in 2021, for many reasons, and this is reflected in both the size and quality of the team travelling to Poland” said Athletics Ireland High Performance Director Paul McNamara.
“Despite higher qualification standards and fewer opportunities to compete, Irish athletes nailed their opportunity when it presented itself, most notably this past weekend at the Irish Life Health Elite Micro-Meet”.
“We now have an unprecedented 24 athletes who have earned selection for the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships, with many more who have posted qualification standards missing out due to the 3-athlete-per-event limit”.
