Search
22 Sept 2025
Search
22 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Erin Friel after winning her 400m heat at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje. Photo: Sportsfile
Erin Friel has sealed a place in the final of the girls’ 400m at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Macedonia.
Friel won her heat at the Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje in impressive fashion.
The Letterkenny AC athlete won in a time of 54.68 seconds and will now line up in Tuesday morning’s final.
Friel, in the biggest race so far in her fledging career, was calm and composed as the Newtowncunningham native set off from lane three in the third and final heat.
The 17-year-old, a student at Loreto Secondary School in Letterkenny, was in second at the 100m marker.
However, Friel, who is coached by Kathryn McDevitt, hit the front around the midway point of the race.
Others either side of her began to ask questions as they headed for the home straight, but the undaunted Friel found the answers.
The unmistakable Friel, in bright coloured spikes, crossed the line in a time that was just 0.4 of a second off her personal best, 54.28, which was set earlier this summer in Brussels.
Read next: Harry McIlwaine completes breakout summer with SIAB medals in Derby
Friel is also scheduled to race in the medley relay later in the week.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
