Big personal best takes Erin Friel to brilliant 400m bronze at EYOF

Erin Friel won a brilliant bronze medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Macedonia.

The Letterkenny AC athlete clocked a big personal best, 54.02 seconds, to finish third in soaring temperatures at the Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje on Tuesday morning.

Slovakia’s Ziva Remic was an impressive winner in 52.21 with Italy’s Laura Frattaroli second in 53.71.

The mercury was touching 28 degrees when the gun fired and Friel, out of lane 4, was in contention from the get go.

Fifth at the 100m point, Friel shot herself into the medal push and with 100m to go the Loreto Secondary School student was neck-and-neck with Poland’s Zofia Tomczyk for third.

Down the home straight, Friel, who is coached by Kathryn McDevitt, found something form within - and the Newtowncunningham native was a deserving bronze medalist as she dipped over the line.

In the biggest race of her career, Friel shaved 0.26 off her previous best over the one-lap distance.

The unmistakable Friel, in bright coloured spikes, won her heat in a time of 54.68 seconds on Monday evening.

Calm and composed as she set off from lane three in the third and final heat, Friel was in second at the 100m marker, but hit the front at the midway point and found the answers to finish ahead of Anna Cerovska of Czechia and Austria’s Amelie Kofler.

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She is the first Donegal athlete to win a medal at the EYOF since Finn Valley AC high jumper Sommer Lecky took high jump bronze at the 2015 version in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Friel is also scheduled to compete in the medley relay later in the week.