Sarah Lavin, well versed in the discipline of 100m hurdles, does not shy away from discussing the requirements needed to secure victory. Her sport demands flawless accuracy, she recognises how crucial this factor is. The forthcoming European Athletics Championships in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, due to commence on Friday morning. Despite the close schedule with the July Paris Olympics, it does not dilute the competition’s difficulty or lessen the achievement of acquiring a medal.
Lavin projects that in order to secure victory, one ought to run in the 12.50s. She admits that achieving the goal and the process of execution may widely vary. An instance of impeccable precision and favourable circumstances is vital in this endeavour. In order to fulfil this, Lavin must surpass her personal record, set less than a year ago at the World Championships in Budapest. Here, she broke the Irish 13-year-old record previously held by Derval O’Rourke when she clocked 12.62 seconds, surpassing the 12.65 seconds O’Rourke achieved at the 2010 European Championships.
Interestingly, Lavin shares her birthday with O’Rourke, only born 13 years apart. This anomaly allowed her to fulfil her superstitions related to the 100m hurdles record. Shortly after this achievement, Lavin set another national record in Switzerland with her 11.27 time in the 100m flat, breaking the previous record of 11.28 time set by Phil Healy in 2018.
Since the initiation of the European Championships in 1934 in Turin, Ireland has collected 17 medals, with five acquired within the last decade, thanks to athletes like Ciara Mageean, Mark English, and Thomas Barr. Now 30-year old Lavin, who came fifth in Munich two years ago, finds reassurance in her bronze victory at last summer’s European Games in Poland, even though it was more of a time trial.
“It’s not unusual for athletes to aspire to win a medal – it’s for personal achievement, for our mentors, our loved ones, and the outstanding Irish team around us,” she says.
“I became part of my inaugural European Championships squad in 2014, a full decade back. Although I was quite junior then, it’s safe to say that this is arguably the finest team I’ve been a part of.”
The athlete from Limerick made an impressive start to her season last month in Doha. She recorded a time of 12.73 in the 100m hurdles, securing a fifth place finish and collapsing shortly after crossing the finish line.
“To clock 12.73 in May is pretty rapid. My fastest initial time has always been 13.08 and this surprises even me. My coach, Noelle [Morrissey], might have anticipated this but I can only say I had hoped for it. It was a bit sentimental on my part though, wishing for it in advance.
“Starting the season with an Olympic standard time is impressive. It gives us the liberty to train and select our competition matches.
“The scheduling has been kind, with hurdles being on the initial days in Rome and not until the end in Paris. There is almost two months interval between them which is beneficial. The primary objectives are to stay unwounded, fit and competitively placed ahead of the championships.
“The priority now is to present a flawless round. Luckily, being among the top 12 allows me the luxury to bypass the heats and directly move to the semi-finals [on Saturday]. The key is to secure my place in the final with a clean race.”
The maiden opportunity for an Irish medal could appear in Friday evening’s direct final of the mixed 4x400m relay. However, Lavin has her eyes set on not being too far off the mark come Saturday.
In the final contest taking place in Rome, she stands at the fifth spot among the competitors who have recorded timings lower than 12.50 seconds this season. Her immediate rivals encompass Cyréna Samba-Mayela of France, Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland, and Ditaji Kambundji from Switzerland among others. Interestingly, the last two Diamond Leagues have witnessed different Europeans claiming victory, with another clinching the third spot.
However, for securing a medal, one must deliver an exceptional performance as usual without getting overwhelmed by the prospects. Winning a medal is a task reserved for the extraordinary individuals who can bring forth remarkable performances. Indeed, the team boasts numerous extraordinary members, but it is the instances of magical brilliance that count.