Team Ireland’s women are set for a packed week at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, with Rhasidat Adeleke, Kate O’Connor, Sarah Healy, Nicola Tuthill, Sarah Lavin, Sophie O’Sullivan and Fionnuala McCormack among the leading Irish names in action.
The championships take place from August 10-16 at Alexander Stadium, bringing together more than 1,600 athletes from across Europe for seven days of competition.
For Irish fans, the women’s programme offers a bit of everything: sprint contenders, a major heptathlon hope, established middle-distance quality, relay depth, a rising hammer thrower, experienced endurance runners and one of the great Irish championship careers in Fionnuala McCormack.
All seven days of action will be available live across RTÉ television, RTÉ Player and Eurovision Sport.
Below is your guide to the Irish women competing, who to watch, and when they are scheduled to be in action.
Key Irish women to watch
Rhasidat Adeleke returns to championship action in the women’s 200m after securing the European qualifying standard at the National Championships. Adeleke produced a championship record of 22.80 in Morton Stadium and will be one of the major Irish focuses of the week.
Kate O’Connor makes her senior European outdoor championship debut in the heptathlon. The Dundalk athlete arrives after winning Commonwealth Games gold and already owns the Irish heptathlon record of 6714 points. Her competition begins on Friday morning with the 100m hurdles and runs across Friday and Saturday.
Sarah Healy is entered in both the 1500m and 5000m. The UCD athlete returned to action in June after missing the indoor season and broke her 5000m personal best with 14:48.88 at the Rome Diamond League. She is also the European indoor 3000m champion.
Sophie O’Sullivan enters the 1500m after reclaiming the national title in a championship record of 4:05.62, breaking a mark previously held by her mother, Sonia O’Sullivan. She is joined in the event by Sarah Healy and Jodie McCann.
Nicola Tuthill will compete in the hammer throw after another strong year. She has extended her personal best to 72.73m this season, has thrown over 72 metres five times in 2026, and is already a five-time national senior champion.
Sarah Lavin lines up in the 100m hurdles. The Emerald AC athlete is Ireland’s national record holder in the event, a two-time Olympian and a 20-time national senior champion across indoor and outdoor competition.
Ciara Neville and Lauren Roy are both entered in the 100m, with Roy also joining Adeleke in the 200m. Neville has won back-to-back outdoor national 100m titles, while Roy has made major progress in 2026 and has personal bests of 11.23 for 100m and 22.83 for 200m.
Fionnuala McCormack is set for another major championship appearance in the marathon. The five-time Olympian finished ninth in the women’s marathon at last year’s World Athletics Championships and remains one of the most enduring figures in Irish athletics.
Niamh Allen and Fiona Everard will compete in the women’s 10,000m final. Allen is making her first major track championship appearance, while Everard is also set for her first major championship on the track after a strong season over 5000m and 10,000m.
Irish women’s schedule
All times listed are Irish time. Events marked with * depend on qualification.
| Time | Athlete | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 11:25 | Ciara Neville | Women’s 100m Round One |
| 11:25 | Lauren Roy | Women’s 100m Round One |
| 19:10 or 20:38 | Nicola Tuthill | Women’s Hammer Qualification |
| 19:35 | Sarah Lavin | Women’s 100m Hurdles Round One |
| 20:10* | Ciara Neville | Women’s 100m Semi-Final |
| 20:10* | Lauren Roy | Women’s 100m Semi-Final |
| 21:00 | Abbie Sheridan | Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Round One |
| 21:50* | Ciara Neville / Lauren Roy | Women’s 100m Final |
Tuesday, August 11
| Time | Athlete | Event |
| 19:25 | Sarah Healy | Women’s 5000m Final |
| 19:55* | Sarah Lavin | Women’s 100m Hurdles Semi-Final |
| 21:30* | Sarah Lavin | Women’s 100m Hurdles Final |
Wednesday, August 12
| Time | Athlete | Event |
| 11:05 | Sophie Becker | Women’s 400m Round One |
| 11:40 | Rhasidat Adeleke | Women’s 200m Round One |
| 11:40 | Lauren Roy | Women’s 200m Round One |
| 19:45* | Nicola Tuthill | Women’s Hammer Final |
| 20:20* | Rhasidat Adeleke | Women’s 200m Semi-Final |
| 20:20* | Lauren Roy | Women’s 200m Semi-Final |
Thursday, August 13
| Time | Athlete | Event |
| 12:45* | Sophie Becker | Women’s 400m Semi-Final |
| 20:29* | Abbie Sheridan | Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final |
| 21:50* | Rhasidat Adeleke | Women’s 200m Final |
| 21:50* | Lauren Roy | Women’s 200m Final |
Friday, August 14
| Time | Athlete | Event |
| 10:35 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon 100m Hurdles |
| 11:25 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon High Jump |
| 11:35 | Ireland | Women’s 4x400m Relay Round One |
| 19:35 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon Shot Put |
| 19:45 | Niamh Allen | Women’s 10,000m Final |
| 19:45 | Fiona Everard | Women’s 10,000m Final |
| 20:55 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon 200m |
Saturday, August 15
| Time | Athlete | Event |
| 10:25 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon Long Jump |
| 11:55 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon Javelin |
| 12:15 | Sarah Healy | Women’s 1500m Round One |
| 12:15 | Sophie O’Sullivan | Women’s 1500m Round One |
| 12:15 | Jodie McCann | Women’s 1500m Round One |
| 19:45 | Kate O’Connor | Heptathlon 800m |
| 20:10* | Sophie Becker | Women’s 400m Final |
| 21:33 | Ireland | Women’s 4x100m Relay Round One |
| 21:48* | Ireland | Women’s 4x100m Relay Final |
Sunday, August 16
| Time | Athlete | Event |
| 07:30 | Fionnuala McCormack | Women’s Marathon Final |
| 21:13* | Sarah Healy | Women’s 1500m Final |
| 21:13* | Sophie O’Sullivan | Women’s 1500m Final |
| 21:13* | Jodie McCann | Women’s 1500m Final |
| 21:33* | Ireland | Women’s 4x400m Relay Final |
Where to watch
The 2026 European Athletics Championships will be shown live across RTÉ television, RTÉ Player and Eurovision Sport.
