GREEN LIGHT FOR REID
Sprinter Leon’s Tokyo place gets ratified by selection panel despite being on bail
IRISH sprinter Leon Reid will compete at the Olympics after being officially selected yesterday.
Reid, 26, is currently on bail after pleading not guilty to drugs and firearms charges in Bristol on 2 June.
But after winning the 200m at last month’s national championships, he was nominated for Olympic selection by Athletics Ireland.
Still, his selection had to be ratified by the Olympic Federation of Ireland’s selection panel, who eventually gave the green light this week after a lengthy process.
Reid, one of 18 men who appeared at Bristol Crown Court last month, has denied eight criminal charges which include allowing crack cocaine to be produced at a premises and having a Glock pistol in his possession.
Having comfortably qualified for the Olympics through this world rankings, Reid will be part of a 25-strong team competing for Ireland in the track and field events in Tokyo.
Though there is no place in the team for either Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley who have been overlooked for the mixed relay despite clocking the two fastest 4x400m splits by Irishwomen this year.
18-year-old Adeleke competed in the 100m and 200m at the national championships and a lack of experience in the 400m appears to have gone against her.
Thomas Barr also won’t line up in the mixed relay as it is too close to his individual event. But the specialist in the 400m hurdles is looking forward to competing in Tokyo.
“I am very proud to be representing Ireland at my second Olympic Games,” he said.
“The men’s 400m hurdles is one of the most competitive events on the track at the moment and I can’t wait to line up and compete against the best on the biggest stage in the world.”
Team Manager for the Team Ireland Athletics Squad, Paul Mcnamara hailed a record number of qualifiers.
Mcnamara said: “The Olympics is the pinnacle of our sport, and we must acknowledge the outstanding work athletes and coaches have put in to overcome the challenges of the last 15 months.
“The ‘end-game’ of the qualification period was excruciatingly difficult for many, but these athletes and their coaches expertly navigated the qualification system and have been rewarded with their place on the biggest stage.
“The resilience shown by these athletes has resulted in Ireland’s second biggest athletics team ever heading to a Games, and the highest ever number of individual qualifiers, all of whom are primed to take on the best in the world in just a few weeks’ time.”