Watch: European Under-18 Athletic Championships silver for Fintan Dewhirst

Fintan Dewhirst ran the race of his life to secure a silver medal for Ireland in the 400m Hurdles final at the European Under-18 Athletic Championships.

A member of Tír Chonaill AC and student at St Columba’s Comprehensive School Glenties, Dewhirst ran a PB of 61.65 seconds to come home in second place behind race winner, Norway's Elnan Aurstad, who ran 50.89, at Israel's Jerusalem’s Hebrew University Stadium. Hungarian Gergő Takács was third with 51.77.

On Tuesday, 16-year-old Dewhirst, who is coached by Brian McGonagle, was second-fastest of the 16 first round qualifiers, when he came home in his best time to date of 52.58 seconds behind Finland’s Antti Sainio in 52.24 seconds to seal a semi-final place.

Ireland has another very good 400m hurdler - and so does Norway

16-year-old Fintan Dewhirst of @TirChonaillAC takes almost a second off his PB in the European U18 final in Jerusalem, clocking 51.65 to win silver. pic.twitter.com/DBvXeW4zmW

— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) July 7, 2022

There, on Wednesday, a time of 52.62 seconds was enough to progress as one of the two fastest losers, having come in fourth place in the race itself.