Cragg looks to establish medal credentials

AthleticsWhile several Irish athletes will this weekend step up their quest for qualifying times for next month's World Indoor Championships in Moscow, Alistair Cragg will look to further establish himself as a medal contender.

Cragg joins a strong 3,000-metre field for tonight's Tyson Invitational meeting at his US base in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Although it's his first run over the distance this year, Cragg has the qualifying time from last season and holds the fastest mile time of this season with his impressive 3:55.04 run last month.

Among his opponents tonight is Ethiopia's Markos Geneti, the world indoor bronze medallist from 2004, and the top Americans Adam Goucher and Dan Lincoln.

Ireland's Gareth Turnbull has also entered in the hope of regaining old form.

After missing most of last year through injury, Cragg is intent on using Moscow as the main stepping stone in his return to world-class athletics, and if he travels to Russia in the same form as he showed in Madrid for the European indoors last year he is likely to contend for a medal.

There are seven other Irish athletes with qualifying times for Moscow, where the World Indoors will be staged from March 10th to 12th.

Athletics Ireland will name the team after next weekend's National Indoor Championships at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, though the closing date for entries is not until February 27th.

There are three qualifiers in the women's 3,000 metres: Maria McCambridge (8:57.65), Mary Cullen (9:02.13) and Róisín McGettigan (9:03.11), though Cullen won't travel as she has US college commitments.

James Nolan is also likely to be selected after posting 3:39.89 for 1,500 metres in Germany last month, the sixth fastest in the world this year, though he has yet to confirm his interest.

Derval O'Rourke will definitely compete in the 60-metre hurdles after recently equalling her Irish record of 8.02 seconds, and Ailish McSweeney has achieved the qualifying time in the 60 metres flat.

O'Rourke is among a large group of athletes competing in the English AAA championships in Sheffield this weekend, where Emily Maher (60 metres), David McCarthy (400 metres) and Ciara Sheehy (200 metres) are among those chasing qualifying standards for Moscow.

Ireland's European indoor 400-metre champion, David Gillick, runs the 200 metres and is still considering travelling to Moscow, while Ciarán McDonagh, who last month jumped an Irish indoor record of eight metres, also competes in the US, needing to jump 8.10 to book his ticket to Moscow.