Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy qualify for 1500m final at European Athletics Championships

Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy both advanced to the final of the 1500m at the European Athletics Championships on the opening day of action in Rome.

Mageean clocked four minutes 6.81 seconds as Britain's Jemma Reekie won the first of two heats in 4:06.68, with Italy's Ludovica Cavalli filling the runner-up berth.

Ciara Mageean finishes third in her 1500m heat to advance to the final at the European Athletics Championships. pic.twitter.com/nYOsLf3dI3

Healy finished fourth in the following heat in 4:12.30, with France's Agathe Guillemot winning the slower of the two heats in 4:11.92.

Sarah Healy places fourth in her 1500m heat to join Ciara Mageean in the final at the European Athletics Championships. pic.twitter.com/Ng5Hzlk0XA

There was disappointment for Mark English who was eliminated at the first hurdle in the 800m after being run into fifth in his heat.

The two-time European bronze medallist - in 2014 and 2022 - went off quickly and headed the field at the halfway point. However, he slipped into third coming around the final bend and then was overhauled by two further runners in the home straight. In a highly competitive heat, Spain's Adrian Ben and Great Britain's Elliot Giles occupied the top two spots.

The Donegal athlete clocked a time of 1.46.73, insufficient to claim one of the four non-automatic qualifier spots.