SHANE HEALY's search for the Olympic qualifying standard at 1,500 metres finally met with success last night in Madrid when the Dubliner clocked three minutes 36.58 seconds, an improvement about three seconds on his previous best. "I was under real pressure and am very happy with the result, said a delighted Healy after the race. "That really takes a load off my shoulders."

That time makes Healy the fastest Irishman at the distance so far this year, although Marcus O'Sullivan and Niall Bruton may have something to say about that as the season reaches its height.

Last Sunday Healy was in Tallinn, Estonia, where he won the 1,500 metres in 3:40 after a solo effort. "After that race in Tallinn I knew that I was ready to pop a really fast time.

Last night Healy was content to sit in the pace as the opening 400 metres was covered in around 57 seconds with Olympic champion Fermin Cacho of Spain following the pacemaker. The Irishman was biding his time and when Cacho and the eventual winner Anacleto Jimenez of Spain took off approaching the bell he did not panic but gathered himself for one final effort.

At one time on the back straight he looked as if he might haul himself up to third place, but Julius Achon of Uganda was in no mood to give way. Healy was eventually passed by two other athletes.

But more importantly for Healy he dipped below the required 3:38 to copper fasten his place on the plane for Atlanta.

Healy will be in action at the National Championships at Morton Stadium over the weekend where he will compete at 800 metres.

. The British athletics federation has banned world champion Michael Johnson from the July 12th London grand prix meeting, Johnson's business agent, Brad Hunt, said yesterday.

Accusing the British federation of "nationalist suppression", Hunt said it was the second time that Johnson had been banned from competing in Britain in the last three years.

"This is the kind of stuff that Jesse Owens had to put up with," Hunt said. "It's obviously attempt by the British to perpetuate a myth that they still have good 400 metre runners," Hunt said. "I plan to protest this kind of treatment to the IAAF."