Chris O’Donnell has continued to progress in 2022 as his career continues to gather momentum.
O’Donnell moved to joint second on the Irish All-Time list earlier this season running a PB of 45.26s in Madrid. David Gillick is the only Irish man who has ever ran faster.
In the past eighteen months, the Irish 4x400m Mixed Relay team has made three world finals with O’Donnell being on the team on each occasion.
Last month at the World Championships in Eugene, the Sligo man helped the team finish eighth overall and then returned to the track in the following days where he made the individual semi-final.
“I went to worlds, and I got a really good experience,” O’Donnell says.
“I was really happy with the result that we got, the relay there became the priority.
“For an Irish team to make another world final, I still think it’s a really, really good achievement.”
Having taken a couple of days to recover from the jetlag upon returning to his base at Loughborough University, O’Donnell began to build again towards the European Championships in Munich this week.
The 24-year-old is full of confidence going into yet another major championships. O’Donnell races in the semi-final this morning and has his eye on making the final where he will then hope to challenge for a podium place.
“I’m kind of looking at just going all out for the semi-final, getting the big Q, and getting a good lane for the final.
“Two all-out runs in two days isn’t going to be a problem for me with all the training I’ve done,” he adds.
He believes if he runs his PB he should make Wednesday’s final and has been thinking about what it will take timewise to medal.
“You’re probably looking into the 44s territory, but I think that’s more than within my capabilities.
“I’ve been working years and years towards this, and I think I’m going to be peaking here at these championships for the year.
“I don’t think 45.26s is my best run this year, I think there’s more in there and I’m very confident.”
Chris O’Donnell will have massive support in the stadium
A large crowd from O’Donnell’s home village of Grange will also be in the Olympic Stadium roaring him on something which he hopes will inspire him.
“We’ve got a lot of village locals coming out to Munich,” he says.
“The support is going to be there; I’m going to hear them.
“It’s not going to be negative for me, I’ll just try and do all of them proud. It’s kind of a part of my motivation as well.”
Asked about his expectations for this week O’Donnell is clear.
“I just want to do the best I can, which obviously is to try win the race and try to win a medal for my country.
“It’s something I’ve been dreaming of for years and years and I’ve been waiting all year for this championship.”
Having played a pivotal role in massive successes for Irish athletics in the past two years, O’Donnell is hoping to put a smile on people’s faces and deliver a big performance on the big stage once again.
The European Athletics Championships is live on RTÉ and BBC.
