Roisin Flanagan places 14th in European 5,000m final

Roisin Flanagan finished 14th in the women’s 5,000m final at the European Athletics Championships on Thursday night.

The Finn Valley AC woman crossed the line in 15:33.72, which wasn’t far off her personal best over the distance.

Her 15:26.76 - a Donegal record - was clocked at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham just 11 days ago.

“Running it twice in two weeks was a bit too quick for my legs,” Flanagan said after the race at the Olympiastadion in Munich.

“I told myself that I didn’t want to get detached from the group. I didn’t have that change of gear. My legs were a little bit tired.”

Mark English wins heat to book European 800m semi-final spot

Finn Valley AC's English won his heat in Munich while his club-mate, Eilish Flanagan, was 12th in her 3,000m steeplechase heat

Flanagan was involved in a thrilling race, won by German favourite Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who is coached by Irish athletics icon Sonia O’Sullivan.

“I’m a little disappointed,” Flanagan said.

“I think I’m better than that, but at the same time it’s my first European Championships on the track.

“I’m better than 15:33, but I wanted to leave it all on the track.”

Her twin sister, Eilish, placed 12th in her 3,000m steeplechase heat on Thursday morning. finishing in 10:00.72, which wasn’t enough to progress to the final. Germany’s Lee Meyer won the heat in 9:39.55.

On Friday morning, Finn Valley AC’s Mark English is in 800m semi-final action. English won his heat on Thursday morning, coming home safely in 1:47.54.