When and how to watch the Irish in action at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo

The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships get underway this weekend in Tokyo.

It's set to be the world's largest sporting event this year after more than 2,000 athletes qualified from over 200 different countries. There is high hopes amongst the Irish athletes participating that they can make a strong impression and continue their rich history in Athletics.

The last time many of the athletes competed in Japan was at the delayed Olympic Games in 2021, which were hampered by the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

There will be will be a huge contrast this time round with tens of thousands of spectators expected to attend over the duration of the championships starting this Saturday. 

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When and where is it on? 

The World Athletic Championships will take place in the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo from September 13 - September 21. 

Where can I watch it? 

RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player will be providing extensive coverage of the championships each day. Due to the time difference, coverage most days will begin between 10am and 11am and finish between 2am and 3pm depending on that day's scheduling. 

Paul O'Flynn will be joined in the RTÉ studio by Sonia O'Sullivan, Rob Heffernan and Deval O'Rourke amongst others to offer expert analysis and insight into each day's events as they happen. 

Alternatively, the BBC will also be offering coverage each day through both of their TV channels and the BBC iPlayer. Coverage will be presented by Jeanette Kwakye and she will be assisted in studio by Jessica Ennis-Hill and Jenny Meadows. There will also be contributions on commentary and analysis from Paula Radcliffe, Andrew Cotter, Steve Backley, Colin Jackson, Steve Cram and Stef Reid.

How many Irish athletes will be involved?  

Ireland will be sending its biggest team in the history of the championships. The team will consist of 28 athletes, 21 of which will be competing in individual events along with two relay squads.  

Ciara Mageean who specialises in the 1500 metres event, will be one of the major absences from an Irish perspective. She won gold at the 2024 European Athletics Championships becoming the first major Irish individual European champion since Sonia O'Sullivan.

The other prominent athlete to miss out is Rhasidat Adeleke who won silver in the 400m in the European Athletic Championships.

There would have been high expectations for both athletes to be in contention for medals at the World Championships but both will now miss out due to sickness and injury.

What Irish Athletes could win medals?  

Of course, the absences of Adeleke and Mageean will big a big blow to the medal chances for the Irish but there's still plenty of Athletes that can compete at the highest level in attendance and potentially bring home silverware for Ireland.

Sarah Healy will have high hopes after winning gold earlier this year at the Indoor Athletic Championships and will be hoping to replicate that success this time round in the 1500m after a very impressive 2025 season to date. 

Mark English will also be full of confidence going into the championships having broke the Irish 800m three times this seasons and has every chance to be in the mix in the final of a strong 800m field. 

Kate O'Connor is also expected to impress in the Heptathlon after a brilliant 2025 season so far. 

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What Irish athletes are participating and when are their events?

Athletics Ireland have released a detailed schedule for each Irish athlete and their events with Irish times provided which goes as follows: 

Day one - Morning Session - Saturday September 13

Oisin Lane - Men's 35k Race Walk - Final - 23:30pm

Eric Favors - Men's Shot Put - Qualification - 02:55am

Mixed 4x400m Relay - Heats - 03:55am

Day one - Evening Session - Saturday September 13

Sarah Healy - Women's 1500m - Heats - 11:50am

Sophie O'Sullivan - Women's 1500m - Heats - 11:50am

Laura Nicholson - Women's 1500m - Heats - 11:50am

Eric Favors - Men's shot put - Final - 13:10pm

Mixed 4x400 Relay - Final - 14:20pm

Day Two - Morning Session - Sunday September 14

Fionnuala McCormack - Women's Marathon - Final - 23:30pm

Nicola Tuthill - Women's Hammer Throw - Qualification Group A -  01:00am

or

Nicola Tuthill - Women's Hammer Throw - Qualification Group B - 02:45am

Andrew Coscoran - Men's 1500m - Heats - 01:35am

Cathal Doyle - Men's 1500m - Heats - 01:35am

Sarah Lavin - Women's 100m Hurdles - Heats - 03:28am

Day Two - Evening Session - Sunday September 14

Sharlene Mawdsley - Women's 400m - Heats - 11:25am

Sophie Becker - Women's 400m - Heats - 11:25am

Sarah Healy - Women's 1500m - Semi-finals - 13:05pm

Sophie O'Sullivan - Women's 1500m - Semi-finals - 13:05pm

Laura Nicholson - Women's 1500m - Semi-finals - 13:05pm

Efrem Gidey - Men's 10,000m - Final - 13:30pm

Day Three - Morning Session - Monday September 15 

Peter Lynch - Men's Marathon - Final - 23:30pm

Hiko Tonosa - Men's Marathon - Final - 23:30pm

Day Three - Evening Session - Monday September 15

Nicola Tuthill - Women's Hammer Throw - Final - 13:00pm

Sarah Lavin - Women's 100m Hurdles - Semi-finals - 13:05pm

Andrew Coscoran - Men's 1500m - Semi-finals - 13:30pm

Cathal Doyle - Men's 1500m - Semi-finals - 13:30pm

Sarah Lavin - Women's 100m Hurdles - Final - 14:20pm 

Day Four - Evening Session - Tuesday September 16

Mark English - Men's 800m - Heats - 11:35am

Cian McPhillips - Men's 800m - Heats - 11:35am

Sharlene Mawdsley - Women's 400m - Semi-finals - 13:05pm

Sophie Becker - Women's 400m - Semi-finals - 13:05pm

Sarah Healy - Women's 1500m - Final - 14:05pm

Sophie Sullivan - Women's 1500m - Final - 14:05pm

Laura Nicholson - Women's 1500m - Final - 14:05pm

Day Five - Evening Session - Wednesday September 17

Andrew Coscoran - Men's 1500m - Final - 14:20pm

Cathal Doyle - Men's 1500m - Final - 14:20pm

Day Six - Evening Session - Thursday September 18

Mark English - Men's 800m - Semi-finals - 13:45pm

Cian McPhillips - Men's 1500m - Semi-finals - 13:45pm

Sharlene Mawdsley - Women's 400m - Final - 14:24pm

Sophie Becker - Women's 400m - Final - 14:24pm

Day Seven - Evening Session - Friday September 19

Kate O'Connor - 100m Hurdles - Women's Heptathlon - 09:33am

Kate O'Connor - High Jump - Women's Heptathlon - 10:20am

Brian Fay - Men's 5000m - Heats - 12:05pm 

Andrew Coscoran - Men's 5000m - Heats - 12:05pm

Darragh McElhinney - Men's 5000m - Heats - 12:05pm

Kate O'Connor - Shot Put - Women's Heptathlon - 12:30pm

Kate O'Connor - 200m - Women's Heptathlon - 13:38pm

Day Eight - Morning Session - Saturday September 20

David Kenny - Men's 20km Race Walk - Final - 01:50am

Kate O'Connor - Long Jump - Women's Heptathlon - 03:30am

Day Eight - Evening Session - Saturday September 20

Kate O'Connor - Javelin - Women's Heptathlon - 11:00am

Women's 4x400 Relay - Heats - 12--pm 

Kate O'Connor - 800m - Women's Heptathlon - 13:11pm

Mark English - Men's 800m - Final - 14:22pm

Cian McPhilips -Men's 800m - Final - 14:22pm 

Day Nine - Evening Session - Sunday September 21

Brian Fay - Men's 5000m - Final -11:50am 

Andrew Coscoran - Men's 5000m - Final -11:50am

Darragh McElhinney - Men's 5000m - Final -11:50am

Women's 4x400 Relay - Final - 12:40pm