Thomas Barr (athlete)

Thomas Barr (born 24 July 1992) is an Irish track and field athlete who competes in the sprints and hurdles.

Thomas Barr
Thomas Barr at 2015 European Team Championships First League.
Personal information
NationalityIrish
Born (1992-07-24) 24 July 1992
Waterford, Ireland
EducationSports Performance MSc
Alma materUniversity of Limerick
Years active2011–
AgentDavid Scott (Stellar Athletics)
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Sport
Country Ireland
SportTrack and field
Event(s)400 metres hurdles
University teamUniversity of Limerick
ClubFerrybank AC
Coached byHayley & Drew Harrison
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)400 m hurdles: 47.97 s
400 m (indoor): 46.97 s
Medal record
Representing  Ireland
Men's athletics
Summer Universiade
2015 Gwangju 400 m hurdles
European Championships
2018 Berlin 400 m hurdles

International career

In 2014, Barr was a semi-finalist at the 2014 European Athletics Championships in the 400 meter hurdles.[1] In 2015, he finished 3rd at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix as part of the 2015 IAAF Diamond League.[2]

Barr won gold in the 400 metres hurdles at the 2015 World University Games (Summer Universiade) in Gwangju, South Korea with a time of 48.78 seconds.

On 15 August at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Barr finished second in his heat of the 400m hurdles in a season best time of 48.93.[3] The following day he broke the Irish record and won his semi-final to qualify for the final in a time of 48.39.[4] He finished fourth in the final, again breaking the Irish record with a time of 47.97.[5][6]

In August 2017, Barr was forced to withdraw from the 400m hurdles semi-final heats at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics after a bout of gastroenteritis.[7]

On 9 August 2018, Barr won bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2018 European Athletics Championships with a season best time of 48.31, his second fastest time ever.[8][9][10]

Awards

In April 2015, Barr was named the European Athlete of the Month for, in part, being part of a national relay record and having a world-best time in the 400 metre hurdles.[11]

Barr was named as the 2016 Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards on 30 November 2016.[12]

Records

Barr holds the Irish national record in the 400 metre hurdles.[13] In 2014 he was also part of the relay team that set the Irish national record in the 4 × 400 metres relay.[14]

Personal life

Barr is the younger brother of Irish Olympic track athlete Jessie Barr. He is from Dunmore East in Waterford where he attended Killea boys primary school and De la Salle school, Waterford. He also has a sister Becky and his parents are Tommy and Martina Barr.

References
  1. "Thomas Barr just misses out on final spot in Zurich". Irishtimes.com. 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  2. Friday, May 15, 2015 - 08:46 pm (2015-05-15). "WATCH: Thomas Barr finishes third on Diamond League debut". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2015-11-20.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Barr aims for final after bridging 84-year gap". Irish Independent. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  4. "Thomas Barr takes first place in his 400m hurdles semi-final and breaks Irish record". Irish Examiner. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  5. "Agony for Barr with fourth-placed finish in Rio". RTÉ.ie. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  6. "Thomas Barr: The happiest Olympian who has ever had his heart broken". Irish Independent. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  7. "Barr 'gutted' as illness brings Worlds bid to premature end". Irish Independent. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  8. "Brilliant Barr makes history as he wins European Championship bronze". The 42. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  9. "Bronze for brilliant Barr". Irish Independent. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  10. "'It's a relief for it to finally happen because I've been promising it for so long'". The 42. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  11. "Stefanidi & Barr voted Euro Athletes of the Month". European Athletics. 2015-05-04. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  12. O'Riordan, Ian (30 November 2016). "Thomas Barr is the Irish athlete of the year for 2016". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 November 2016 – via Irishtimes.ie.
  13. "Barr Moves to Number One in European Rankings when Setting New Irish 400m Hurdles | Athletics Ireland". Athleticsireland.ie. 2014-06-14. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  14. Cliona Foley Twitter Email (2014-08-18). "Relay team smash 4x400 record as English lends a hand". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.