Mullen is proud of sixth-place finish

IRELAND’S Ryan Mullen said he can hold his ‘head high’ after finishing sixth in the time trial at the European Championships cycling in Glasgow yesterday. Mullen clocked 54:19.21 for the 45.7km race with Belgium’s Victor Campenaerts taking gold in 53:38.78, Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar was 28th in 58:05.82. ‘There are some world class names behind me, so I kind of can take that with my head held high — but I didn’t come here to come sixth, I came here trying to win,’ said 24-year-old Mullen (above). Ireland’s Kelly Murphy and Eileen Burns finished 17th and 18th respectively in the Women’s Time Trial. Next up for the Irish cycling team is the Men’s Road Race on Sunday. IT WAS a day to remember for Irish diver Tanya Watson at the European Championships as the 16-year-old diver, making her senior international debut, placed seventh in the Platform final. Swimming in her second semi-final of the week, Mona McSharry was unable to match her morning time of 31.09 in the 50m Breaststroke semi-final. The 17-year-old touched in 31.45 for 12th place overall. AOIFE HOPKINS from Howth Yacht Club won yesterday’s only race in the Laser Radial event at the Hempel Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark in what should be a huge boost to her hopes for the 2020 Olympic Games. The he 19-year-old Trinity scholarship student started at the committee boat end of the line and enjoyed clear wind that allowed her to maintain a good position on the favoured side of the course.