Thomas Barr revived by possible swansong season and looking forward to European Championships

Thomas Barr has been a mainstay on the Irish athletics scene since 2012, when he finished fifth in the semi-final of the 400m hurdles at the European Championships one month before his 20th birthday.

Barr has gone to win a medal at the European Championships in 2018 and finish fourth at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.

This is despite his seasons often being hampered by niggles.

"This is my sixth consecutive Europeans since 2012," Barr told RTÉ Sport.

"Touch wood I don't do anything stupid in the next few days and put myself out of it. Wherever I end up I will be very, very happy, I do want to get to a final."

In the last edition of the European Championships in 2022, Barr failed to progress from the semi-finals.

"In Oregon and Munich (2022), I was hampered with Achilles injuries and I wasn't on good form then.

"I wasn’t moving well, and I wasn’t really happy with my performances, and I wasn’t happy in the sport at that stage," Barr reflected of a challenging year.

The Waterford man was fully sidelined for the first time last year, missing the World Championships in Budapest. But this has only acted as fuel for the fire coming into the 2024 season.

"That was a really bitter kind of a blow because I've never missed a major championships," he added.

"I've always had little niggles, I've had injuries. I've had injuries at the worst possible time, but last year was a very, very tough one because I've never missed a championships.

"I definitely do feel like I have a point to prove now this season."

Given Barr's steady record of making championships, it does leave some wondering about what could have been if it wasn't for his injury record.

The two-time Olympian does believe, however, that the 400m hurdles isn't just about fitness in