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22 Oct 2025

Caoimhe Gallen denied European U18 final by inches as Caolan McFadden bows out

Lifford-Strabane AC athlete Caoimhe Gallen was seventh in her qualification pool in the women's hammer on Thursday in Slovakia, while Caolan McFadden of Cranford AC did not advance from the 1500m heats

Caoimhe Gallen denied European U18 final by inches as Caolan McFadden bows out

Caoimhe Gallen of Lifford-Strabane AC

Caoimhe Gallen was just one place - or only 26 centimetres - off qualifying for the women's hammer final at the European Under-18 Athletics Championships.

The Lifford-Strabane AC athlete was seventh in her qualification pool on Thursday morning in Slovakia.

Gallen threw a best of 58.83m in Banská Bystrica, but Poland's Zuzanna Smiglewska's 59.06m edged Gallen out of the final.

Overall, Gallen was 13th of the qualifiers with 12 moving into the final.

“I'm not too happy about it because I wished for over 60m,” St Columba's College, Stranorlar student Gallen said.

“The conditions are very warm and I'm not used to it really. It's so warm out on the track. It's roasting. I was last in my pool so i had to wait, wait and wait.”

Gallen reached the hammer out to 63.58m – her personal best with the 3kg hammer - when competing in Palafrugell, Spain in early June to secure her spot.

Gallen is a daughter of Sharon Foley, who became the first Donegal-born woman to compete at the World Athletics Championships when taking part in the high jump in 1993 at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion in Stuttgart.

The Lifford-Strabane AC teenager was thrilled to get the chance to compete with the continent's elite in her age group.

She said: “It was amazing being here, so amazing.”

Cranford AC's McFadden finished ninth in his 1500m heat on Thursday evening.

In the third and final heat in the 1500m, McFadden finished in 4:03.97 and did not advance.

McFadden's PB over the distance is the 3:52.19 he clocked at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast in May to beat the qualifying mark for the Europeans.

Tir Chonaill AC's Ethan Dewhirst goes in the 400m hurdles on Friday while Letterkenny AC's Erin Friel is on the medley relay squad which runs on Saturday.

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