Cragg's bid ends in disappointment

Athletics News: Failing to break the 13-minute barrier was only part of Alistair Cragg's disappointment after Saturday's 5,000 metres at the Golden League meeting in Paris. Cragg had probably set his target too high, falling off the pace shortly before halfway, but after dropping out with just a lap remaining he now surely needs to rebuild confidence ahead of next month's European Championships in Gothenburg.

The weather in Paris was ideal for fast 5,000-metre running, and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele made the best of it to win in 12:51.32.

Six others broke the 13-minute barrier, and there was some confusion when Cragg was originally listed among them as fifth on the official results - clocking 12:57.60.

Anyone who had seen the race knew that was impossible, as Cragg had in fact dropped away from the leaders shortly after 2,000 metres, which was passed in 5:02.52.

With the leaders quickening again to pass 3,000 metres in 7:40.50, Cragg was clearly struggling, and he continued to fall back before eventually dropping out. Such can be the high price for bravely following sub-13-minute pacing like that.

Somehow, the electronic results had confused Cragg with another runner, and it was a long time before the official results were corrected.

Cragg isn't planning any further 5,000m races until Gothenburg, and while he still has the season's fastest European time, 13:08.97, it remains to be seen how quickly he can regain confidence after this setback.

There were several more encouraging runs elsewhere at the weekend.

The Galway sprinter Paul Hession producing his best effort of the season to win the 200 metres at the international meeting in Cuxhaven, Germany.

Hession clocked 20.75, easily defeating Europe's fourth-fastest this year, Johan Wissman of Sweden, who has run 20.50.

Liam Reale clocked 3:39.29 to finish third in the 1,500 metres, and Thomas Chamney finished fifth in the 800 metres in 1:48.61.

In her first run in Europe this season, Sinéad Evans finished fifth over 1,500 metres in 4:13.94 - and so all four of the above are showing good form in the countdown to Gothenburg.

Elsewhere, Jason Smyth of Derry - a brilliant sprinter with a visual impairment - has booked his place in the World Junior Championships in Beijing next month by clocking an excellent 10.61 for 100 metres at a meeting in Mannheim.

Well inside the qualifying standard of 10.74, Smyth's time also equalled the longstanding national junior record of Derek O'Connor, set back in 1983.

And at a meeting in Gothenburg, Chris Quinn of Lagan Valley qualified for the 400-metre hurdles in Beijing with a personal best of 53.23.