Elated Reid finally joins Irish ranks
Bath sprinter Leon Reid was overjoyed to finally get the chance to run for Ireland at this week’s European Championships in Berlin. The 24-year-old, who had previously represented Great Britain at junior and under-23 levels, had been in limbo for the past two-and-a-half years after the IAAF put a freeze on international transfers shortly after he had made his application. He was unable to compete at the London 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships, despite setting the qualifying time, but was all set to make his Ireland debut at the European Championships in last night’s 200m semi-final. Reid, trained by James Hillier at the University of Bath Sports Training Village, is delighted to finally put the saga behind him. “It’s taken a while – only two and a half years! – but it’s been well worth the wait,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of support over the past few years from my coach James Hillier, my training group and Team Bath. “I’ve been training here for eight years now and I don’t know where I would be without these facilities, I’d have probably given up by now. “I have to say thank you to my mum as well, she went through all the legislation and made sure we had every single detail sorted.” Should Reid, a bronze-medal winner for Northern Ireland at this year’s Commonwealth Games, have progressed from last night’s semi, he will have completed his first goal. The 200m final will be run tonight at 8pm. “The aim is to make the finals and see what happens,” he said. “I showed at the Commonwealth Games that anything can happen once you are there.” Also representing Great Britain in the athletics championships are two of Reid’s training partners, David King and Cameron Chalmers, along with Olympic and World medallists Emily Diamond and Eilidh Doyle. Earlier in the week, University of Bath graduate Kirsten Mcaslan ran 56.78secs to advance to the women’s 400m hurdle semi-finals, where she was due to compete alongside Doyle last night. Jack Green could only finish sixth in the men’s 400m hurdles semi-finals on Tuesday, clocking 49.84.