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Thomas Barr (athlete)

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Thomas Barr
Thomas Barr at 2022 European Championships
Personal information
NationalityIrish
Born (1992-07-24) 24 July 1992 (age 32)
Waterford, Ireland
EducationSports Performance MSc
Alma materUniversity of Limerick
Years active2011–
AgentDavid Scott (Stellar Athletics)
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Sport
Country Ireland
SportTrack and field
Event400 metres hurdles
University teamUniversity of Limerick
ClubFerrybank AC
Coached byHayley & Drew Harrison
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)400 m hurdles: 47.97 s
400 m (indoor): 46.97 s
Medal record
Representing  Ireland
Men's athletics
World Athletics Relays
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Nassau 4×400 m mixed
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2015 Gwangju 400 m hurdles
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Rome 4 x 400 m mixed
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Berlin 400 m hurdles

Thomas Barr (born 24 July 1992) is an Irish track and field athlete who competes in the sprints and hurdles. He is probably best known for being a member of the winning European Championship Mixed 4x400 Relay team.[1]

International career

In 2014, Barr was a semi-finalist at the 2014 European Athletics Championships in the 400 meter hurdles.[2] In 2015, he finished 3rd at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix as part of the 2015 IAAF Diamond League.[3]

Barr won gold in the 400 metres hurdles at the 2015 World University Games (Summer Universiade) in Gwangju, South Korea with a time of 48.78 seconds.

On 15 August at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Barr finished second in his heat of the 400m hurdles in a season best time of 48.93.[4] The following day he broke the Irish record and won his semi-final to qualify for the final in a time of 48.39.[5] He finished fourth in the final, again breaking the Irish record with a time of 47.97.[6][7]

In August 2017, Barr was forced to withdraw from the 400m hurdles semi-final heats at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics after a bout of gastroenteritis.[8]

On 9 August 2018, Barr won bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2018 European Athletics Championships with a season best time of 48.31, his second fastest time ever.[9][10][11]

In June 2024, Barr won gold at the European Championships, running the third leg of the 4x400 mixed relay, passing the baton on to Sharlene Mawdsley in second place with a 44.90 split.[1] Mawdsley ran down the leading Belgian Helena Ponette in the home strait, crossing the line in the gold medal position in an Irish record time of 3:09.92.[1] Barr had been passed the baton by Rhasidat Adeleke in 1st place.[1] Christopher O'Donnell ran the opening leg for Ireland.

Achievements

International championships

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Ireland
2011 European Junior Championships Tallinn, Estonia 8th 400 m hurdles 51.02
2012 European Championships Helsinki, Finland 5th (sf) 400 m hurdles 50.22
2013 European U23 Championships Tampere, Finland 8th 400 m hurdles 50.14
2014 European Championships Zürich, Switzerland 3rd (sf) 400 m hurdles 49.30
4th 4 × 400 m relay 3:01.67
2015 World Relays Nassau, Bahamas 6th (h) 4 x 400 m relay 3:07.11
Summer Universiade Gwangju, South Korea 1st 400 m hurdles 48.78
World Championships Beijing, China 11th (sf) 400 m hurdles 48.71
13th (h) 4 × 400 m relay 3:01.26
2016 European Championships Amsterdam, Netherlands 5th (sf) 400 m hurdles 50.09
5th 4 × 400 m relay 3:04.32
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 4th 400 m hurdles 47.97 NR
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 18th (h)1 400 m hurdles 49.79
2018 European Championships Berlin, Germany 3rd 400 m hurdles 48.31
5th (h) 4 × 400 m relay 3:06.55
2019 European Indoor Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom 4th (h) 400 m sh 48.22
World Championships Doha, Qatar 11th (sf) 400 m hurdles 49.02
2021 World Relays Chorzów, Poland 4th (h)2 4 x 400 m relay mixed 3:16.84 NR
Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 9th (sf) 400 m hurdles 48.26
2022 World Championships Eugene, United States 19th (sf) 400 m hurdles 50.08
European Championships Munich, Germany 4th (h) 400 m hurdles 49.30
2024 World Relays Nassau, Bahamas 3rd 4 x 400 m relay mixed 3:11.53 NR
European Championships Rome, Italy 1st 4 x 400 m relay mixed 3:09.92 CR, NR
16th (sf) 400 m hurdles 49.61
Olympic Games Paris, France 10th (h) 4 x 400 m relay mixed 3:12.67

1 Result from the heats, Barr did not start in the semi-finals.
2 Result from the heats, Barr did not start in the final.

Awards

In April 2015, Barr was named the European Athlete of the Month for, in part, being part of a national relay record and having a world-best time in the 400 metre hurdles.[12]

Barr was named as the 2016 Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards on 30 November 2016.[13]

Records

Barr holds the Irish national record in the 400 metre hurdles.[14] In 2014 he was also part of the relay team that set the Irish national record in the 4 × 400 metres relay.[15]

Personal life

Barr is the younger brother of Irish Olympic track athlete Jessie Barr. He is from Dunmore East in Waterford where he attended Killea boys primary school and De la Salle school, Waterford.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Ireland win gold in 4x400m mixed relay at European Athletics Championships". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Thomas Barr just misses out on final spot in Zurich". Irishtimes.com. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  3. ^ Friday, May 15, 2015 - 08:46 pm (15 May 2015). "WATCH: Thomas Barr finishes third on Diamond League debut". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 20 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Barr aims for final after bridging 84-year gap". Irish Independent. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Thomas Barr takes first place in his 400m hurdles semi-final and breaks Irish record". Irish Examiner. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Agony for Barr with fourth-placed finish in Rio". RTÉ.ie. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Thomas Barr: The happiest Olympian who has ever had his heart broken". Irish Independent. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Barr 'gutted' as illness brings Worlds bid to premature end". Irish Independent. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Brilliant Barr makes history as he wins European Championship bronze". The 42. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Bronze for brilliant Barr". Irish Independent. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  11. ^ "'It's a relief for it to finally happen because I've been promising it for so long'". The 42. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Stefanidi & Barr voted Euro Athletes of the Month". European Athletics. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  13. ^ O'Riordan, Ian (30 November 2016). "Thomas Barr is the Irish athlete of the year for 2016". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 November 2016 – via Irishtimes.ie.
  14. ^ "Barr Moves to Number One in European Rankings when Setting New Irish 400m Hurdles | Athletics Ireland". Athleticsireland.ie. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  15. ^ Cliona Foley Twitter Email (18 August 2014). "Relay team smash 4x400 record as English lends a hand". Independent.ie. Retrieved 20 November 2015. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
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