Loughnane struggles in conditions

ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:IT WON'T be much consolation to Olive Loughnane that the women's 20km walk this time went entirely as scripted, with Russia's Olga Kaniskina defending her World title, and in the process ending the so-called "cover curse".

For Loughnane – who won the silver medal in Berlin two years ago – the 16th position was ultimately disappointing, not helped by the desperately humid conditions, although even at age 35 she’s already looking forward to better days, namely next year’s London Olympics.

Kaniskina wasn’t aware of it in advance, but she found herself on the cover of yesterday’s daily programme, as the pre-race favourite, and for the previous four days, all such cover athletes (Steve Hooker, Usain Bolt, Dayron Robles and Yelena Isinbayeva) had failed to triumph.The 26 year-old used her experience and confidence to grind down her opponents over the 10-lap circuit, to win in 1:29:42 – and so became the first woman in World Championships history to win three 20km titles in a row.

“Not the result I expected,” Loughnane admitted. “Glad I toughed it out. Just surprised that my best was so far off the mark. I’ve got some figuring out to do but there will be better days.”

She finished in 1:34.02, and with humidity levels at 88 per cent, had emptied the tank. She was still in contact with the leaders at around 7km, but the repeated injections of pace from Kaniskina and fellow Russians Vera Sokolova and Anisya Kirdyapkina soon had the field strung out. Loughnane crossed the line in 18th position, but was subsequently given an official position of 16th, as six were disqualified from the 50 starters.

Later this morning Ciarán O’Lionaird goes in the semi-finals of the 1,500m (11.55 Irish time) looking to become only the second Irish 1,500m World Championship finalist, and first since Niall Bruton way back in 1995. The 23-year-old has an outside chance of going all the way: the Leevale runner has the advantage of going in the second semi-final, knowing only the first five, plus only the two fastest losers, will progress.

Among those drawn in the same semi-final is Daniel Kipchirchir Komen from Kenya, who is certain to make the pace fast, and fellow Kenyan Asbel Kiprop, the Olympic champion – so it will require something considerably quicker than the 3:40.41 O’Lionaird ran in Tuesday’s heats to qualify for Saturday’s final.

Also in the mix is Mehdi Baala from France, the 33-year-old 2003 World silver medallist, who despite falling in his heat on Tuesday, was subsequently reinstated on appeal, as the French Federation claimed he was tripped.

Another Irish athlete in action overnight is Alistair Cragg, in the 5,000m heats with the difficult task of making Sunday’s final: the top five from the two heats, plus the five fastest losers, progress to Sunday’s final, and Cragg had Britain’s Mo Farah for company.