Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy off to flying start at European Athletics Championships

Mageean was first into action at the Stadio Olimpico, the 32-year-old Portaferry native running in the middle of the pack as the field passed 800m at a steady tempo, but soon after the gears began to shift, with Britain’s Jemma Reekie cranking out a 60-second final lap to take victory in 4:06.88. But Mageean was running well within herself as she coasted up to third to secure one of the top six automatic qualifying spots in 4:06.81.

“I’m through to the final, that's all I have to do,” said Mageean. “I wanted to stay out of trouble, that's your biggest risk that you'll get caught up in something. You're having to keep your wits about you whenever you're in the pack of 15.”

Mageean will likely start Sunday’s final as the favourite for gold but it will be a tight contest among the leading contenders.

“The plan is to get out there and get on that podium,” she said. “I feel like I'm ready for whatever. I know the speeds in my legs and I'm ready for that. So I'm just happy to give it a lash and get out there.

"I feel like I'm coming into this championship as a favourite, which is probably somewhere I've never really been before, so that comes with its added pressure.

"But it's not as much pressure as I ever put myself. It would be an absolute dream to hear Amhrán na bhFiann ringing around that stadium.”

Healy looked equally relaxed in the second heat, the Dubliner staying out of trouble and running just off the leading trio for much of the race. She avoided a potentially disastrous fall on the final bend which saw two athletes hit the deck and Healy had ample speed down the home straight to take fourth place in 4:12.30, with France’s Agathe Guillemot first home in 4:11.92.

“I’m very, very relieved,” said Healy. “It was messier than I expected and it didn’t go as I had planned but I’m proud I was able to adapt, keep my cool, not panic, keep composed and get through.”

Healy will race her first ever senior championship final on Sunday.

“I’m really excited about that, it feels like there’s no pressure, it’s only upside, so I’ll see what I can do.”

Mark English faced an early exit in the 800m heats. The Donegal man swept to the front when the pace began to lag after 250 metres, conscious that if he didn’t finish in the top three he would need a fast time to advance, and while English entered the home straight in third, he faded to fifth at the finish, clocking 1:46.73, which was not quick enough to advance.

“It went exactly as I thought it would, but it was tough out there to try do that,” said English. “I felt I had to do it as no one else was going to do it and there was only three going through and all of them are good kickers.

“I wanted to try eliminate other variables and control what I could, that’s why I took it on but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. This year was always about qualifying for Paris and I’ll get back to that now. I’ve a couple of races coming up and at the end of the year, most people will be talking about Paris.”

Michelle Finn was in action in the 3000m steeplechase heats, the Leevale athlete finishing 14th in 9:46.93, an impressive comeback after several months sidelined with injury due to a torn calf and two labral tears in her hip.

“I’d have liked to make the final or run a bit quicker, but I haven’t raced since last August, I’ve been injured and cross training so much,” she said. “I feel there’s a bit of sharpness missing but I’m OK with it, coming off the injuries it’s a solid season opener – I just wish it wasn’t the Europeans and that this was in three weeks’ time.”

The big focus for the Irish in the evening session is the mixed 4x400m final, at 9.20pm Irish time, where Chris O’Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley hold a decent chance of joining Sonia O’Sullivan as the only athletes to have struck gold for Ireland in the 90-year history of the event. But it’ll be a tough ask.

Ireland will line up in lane seven with the race favourites, the Netherlands, in lane five. The Dutch quartet finished just eight hundredths of a second ahead of them at the World Relays last month, with Ireland winning bronze in a huge national record of 3:11.53, and there’s every chance a similar race will unfold for gold here, with Belgium also looking dangerous given the presence of world indoor 400m champion Alexander Doom.

Irish in action today

Evening Session — Men’s Shot Put qualification: Eric Favors 18:55; Men’s 100m – Rd 1: Israel Olatunde 20:18; Mixed 4x400m Relay Final: 21:20; Women’s 5000m Final: Jodie McCann 21:40.

Live, RTÉ 2, 9.0am; RTÉ Player, 8.0pm; BBC Red Button; Eurovisionsport.com