WATCH: Limerick hurdler Sarah Lavin narrowly misses out on medal in 'fastest European final ever'

LIMERICK sprint hurdler Sarah Lavin claimed an excellent fourth-place finish in the final of the women's 60m hurdles at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands on Friday night.

Lisnagry Olympian Lavin produced a new season's best performance of 7.92 in her latest major championship final appearance, narrowly missing out on a medal.

The race winner Mujinga Kambundji, of Switzerland, set a new European record of 7.67, with runner-up Nadine Wisser, of host nation the Netherlands, clocking 7.72 to smash her National record, while the bronze medal was won by Pia Skrzyszowska, of Poland, in 7.83.

Thirty-year-old Lavin, a member of Emerald AC, is coached by Noelle Morrissey.

Lavin’s attention will now turn to the World Indoor Championships which take place in Nanjing, China, from March 21 to 23.

Lavin finished in second place in her semi-final earlier on Friday, clocking 7.94 in Apeldoorn to reach another championship final.

'Fourth in the fastest European race ever' - @sarahlavin_ on just missing out on a podium finish at #Apeldoorn2025 #IrishAthletics #rtesport pic.twitter.com/SrF9J4UhWN

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 7, 2025

Race winner Pia Skrzyszowska, of Poland, ran a season’s best of 7.84secs to win the semi-final with Lavin taking second.

The Limerick athlete had won her heat with a season’s best time of 7.93secs on Thursday evening.

Lavin ran the fourth fastest time from Friday's semi-finals ahead of Friday evening's final.

Lavin powered home to win her seventh 123.ie National Indoor title in the women's 60m hurdles, last month.

Team Ireland's joint flagbearer at last summer's Paris 2024 Olympics Lavin eased through her 60m hurdles heat at the 123.ie National Indoor Indoors at the National Sports Campus last month in 8.11 seconds before the Limerick woman set an identical time in the final to claim victory ahead of Molly Scott by 0.23 seconds.

️ “I have to be proud.”

Reaction from Sarah Lavin after she finished fourth in the Women’s 60m Hurdles at the European Indoor Championships #IrishAthletics | #Apeldoorn2025 pic.twitter.com/2Na1Y8pIX9

— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) March 7, 2025

Lavin claimed a sixth place finish in the final of the 60m hurdles at the European Indoor Athletics Championship in Turkey in 2023.

The Limerick woman clocked a time of 8.03 after a slow start in that final in Istanbul. The European title was won by Finland's Reetta Hurske who clocked a national record of 7.79.

Lavin recorded an excellent fifth place finish in the final of the 60m hurdles at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow 12 months ago.

The ultra consistent sprint hurdler clocked 7.91 seconds in the final, just .01 of a second outside her personal best which she had set in the semi-finals.