Olympic race

Sir, – For four Irish female athletes to achieve the qualifying time for the marathon in the forthcoming London Olympics was…

Sir, – For four Irish female athletes to achieve the qualifying time for the marathon in the forthcoming London Olympics was remarkable in itself.

However, in my view, even more remarkable was the dignity and humility with which Maria McCambridge accepted the decision of Athletics Ireland’s selection committee not to send her to London.

I hope she can be consoled by the fact that she’s regarded amongst athletes all over Ireland as one of the greats; and like a lot of world-class sportspeople, has lost out only on the slimmest of margins. – Yours, etc,

LAURA FLYNN,

Rathdown Avenue,

Terenure,

Dublin 6W.