# Thomas Barr (athlete)

Thomas Barr (born 24 July 1992) is a retired Irish track and field athlete who competed in the sprints and hurdles. He is probably best known for being a member of the winning European Championship Mixed 4x400 Relay team and finishing 4th in the 400m Hurdles at the 2016 Olympics. Barr announced his retirement in January 2025.

## International career

In 2014, Barr was a semi-finalist at the 2014 European Athletics Championships in the 400 meter hurdles. In 2015, he finished 3rd at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix as part of the 2015 IAAF Diamond League.
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. The following day he broke the Irish record and won his semi-final to qualify for the final in a time of 48.39. He finished fourth in the final, again breaking the Irish record with a time of 47.97.
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.
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.
In June 2024, Barr won gold at the European Championships, running the third leg of the 4x400 mixed relay, passing the baton on to Sharlene Mawdsley in second place with a 44.90 split. Mawdsley ran down the leading Belgian Helena Ponette in the home strait, crossing the line in the gold medal position in an Irish record time of 3:09.92. Barr had been passed the baton by Rhasidat Adeleke in 1st place. Christopher O'Donnell ran the opening leg for Ireland.

## Achievements
### International championships

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Ireland ||||||
| 2011 | European Junior Championships | Tallinn, Estonia | 8th | 400 m hurdles | 51.02 |
| 2012 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 5th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 50.22 |
| 2013 | European U23 Championships | Tampere, Finland | 8th | 400 m hurdles | 50.14 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 3rd (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 49.30 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:01.67 |
| 2015 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 6th (h) | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:07.11 |
| 2015 | Summer Universiade | Gwangju, South Korea | 1st | 400 m hurdles | 48.78 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 11th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 48.71 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 13th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:01.26 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 5th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 50.09 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 5th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:04.32 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 4th | 400 m hurdles | 47.97 NR |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 18th (h)$^1$ | 400 m hurdles | 49.79 |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 3rd | 400 m hurdles | 48.31 |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 5th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:06.55 |
| 2019 | European Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 4th (h) | 400 m sh | 48.22 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 11th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 49.02 |
| 2021 | World Relays | Chorzów, Poland | 4th (h)$^2$ | 4 x 400 m relay mixed | 3:16.84 NR |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 9th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 48.26 |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 19th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 50.08 |
| 2022 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 4th (h) | 400 m hurdles | 49.30 |
| 2024 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 3rd | 4 x 400 m relay mixed | 3:11.53 NR |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 1st | 4 x 400 m relay mixed | 3:09.92 CR, NR |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 16th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 49.61 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 10th (h) | 4 x 400 m relay mixed | 3:12.67 |
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## 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.
Barr was named as the 2016 Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards on 30 November 2016.

## Records

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

## 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.