“I think I’m getting special help from up there” | Emotional Sarah Lavin qualifies for the Olympics

The 29-year-old recorded a PB of 12.73 to earn not only second place, but also a trip to Paris next summer.

Sarah Lavin was overjoyed in the aftermath of her qualification for the Olympic Games, having came second in a competitive 100m hurdles race at the Diamond League Meet in Stockholm. The 29-year-old recorded a PB of 12.73 to earn not only second place, but also a trip to the Paris Olympics next summer.

The Limerick native was clearly emotional when speaking after the race, having realised her dream of making it to another Olympic Games, and the Emerald AC athlete was grateful for the work of her coach as she also remembered her late partner Craig Breen who tragically passed away earlier this year speaking with Citius Mag in the wake of the race.

“I think I’m getting special help from up there to be honest, and obviously the work of my coach.”

Lavin recorded a time of 12.83 just last Wednesday, as she finished third at the European Games, having previously recorded a PB of 12.79 at the European Championships in Munich last summer, but both were smashed by the 12.73 she put up in Stockholm.

The time came as a surprise to Lavin, who would not have expected a personal best in the difficult wet conditions presented in Sweden, with the Limerick native even revealing she had spent an hour in the bathroom trying to dry her clothes in the bathroom, having ran earlier in the day!

“I’ve been throwing out 12.8s a few times, I felt a bigger one was on it’s way, I didn’t think I could PB today on a wet track. Did I hit the last hurdle? I think I might have, but that’s the qualifying for Paris next year!”

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It will be consecutive Olympic Games appearances for Lavin, who represented Ireland at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, and the Limerick native was also a flagbearer for the team at the European Games.

Lavin failed to come home from Tokyo with silverware but will be hoping she can return from Paris with something to show for all her efforts as she continues to improve.

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Darragh Moloney