Athletics Ireland not surprised by Munich success

A week to savour for Irish athletics at the European Championships in Munich.

Medals for Ciara Mageean and Mark English were the high points, but others also made their mark in making finals and improving on their personal bests.

For Paul McNamara - director of high performance with Athletics Ireland - it was a week where expectations were realised.

Reflecting on the championships, he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland: "It's been outstanding. We came in here with high ambition, we looked at the data, we looked at the seedings, and looked at the performances of each athlete coming in.

"We had set lofty expectations, we were thinking seven to eight top-eights, chance of a medal for seven to eight top 16s. That alone would have been most the successful championships we've ever had but our athletes have blown the lights out all week long and have exceeded expectations.

"The Irish athletics public are a very knowledgeable group of people and are very switched on. From the very first day of these championships they were responding to the performances and began to realise there is something a little bit special going on here.

"The week-long time slot in the month of August with the inter-county GAA season over gave us a platform and a shop window.

"There is no doubt that this was unambiguously a successful week for Irish athletics for many, many reasons. We've really embraced the public profile the sport has been afforded over the last week."

The signs that Munich could deliver something tangible were there, according to McNamara, adding that team management "were not surprised" by what unfolded.

"This has been growing for championship after championship. We had a World Championships in Eugene earlier this year, time zones and lack of