The Irish Men’s 4x400m Relay team qualified for the event’s final on Day Four of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
The quartet of Conor Kelly, Adam Courtney, Sean Doggett and Stephen Mannion clocked a sensational new national U20 record of 3:08.94 to place third in their heat.
Mannion was part of the quartet that held the previous record of 3:09.75, which was set at the European U20 Championships in Jerusalem last summer.
This afternoon’s time was good enough to advance as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers to tonight’s final, with the Irish the fifth fastest of the nine teams who progressed.
Recent European U18 bronze medallist Kelly led the team out, splitting 47.10 from the blocks. Courtney battled hard in the second leg before handing the baton to Doggett. Despite racing for the fourth time this week, the Athenry athlete, who made his senior international debut in the Men’s 4x400m at the European Athletics Championships in Rome in June, kept his team in contention.
Mannion then had the task of anchoring the team home and did so in style with a lightning 46.57 leg, as he battled all the way to the line against his German counterpart.
Ireland has been drawn in lane three for the final, and the team selection will be confirmed later afternoon. The race will conclude a thrilling five days of competition.
The race will be streamed live on the World Athletics website at 18:45 this evening.
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