WATCH: Limerick athletes impresses at European Games in Minsk

THE Ireland’s Athletics Team, featuring three Limerick athletes, made history this week becoming the first of just 24 countries to compete in Dynamic New Athletics at the European Games in Minsk.

In Tuesday night's quarter finals the team of 15 competed against Portugal, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Hungary and Denmark for a place in Wednesday semi-final.

Twenty five-year-old Sarah Lavin, of Emerald AC, took a terrific second-place finish, improving her time in the 100m Hurdles to 13.32 (from 13.46) earning valuable points for Ireland going into ‘The Hunt’ 

The Lisnagry athlete said afterwards: “I had a good start, 13.32 into a headwind, it’s probably as quick as I ever ran into a headwind, and crucially I got ten points for Ireland. We were a bit apprehensive coming into this because we didn’t know what to expect, but the team atmosphere is so good because of it.”

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Sophie Meredith, from Newcastle West, finished in 6th place in the long jump in the Dinamo Arena with a best score of 5.61.

Meredith, who competes for St Mary’s AC, Rathkeale, claimed an impressive top 10 finish at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina last autumn.

‘The Hunt’ team of 25-year-old Emerald AC athlete Amy O'Donoghue, Paul Byrne, Brandon Arrey and Catherine McManus posted a time four seconds faster than Sunday (4:46.43) in 4:42.57 to give Ireland a final placing of fourth.

 In the end, it was Portugal and Hungary who progressed as the fastest finishers in ‘The Hunt’.

ATHLETICS ‍♀️

“That’s probably about as quick as I’ve run into a headwind”

Sarah Lavin reacts to finishing second in the 100m hurdles and scoring a crucial 10 points for Ireland #TeamIreland #Minsk2019 @irishathletics @sarahlavin_ pic.twitter.com/eXytaBpOly

— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 25, 2019