Quality drawn to Phoenix Park

Athletics News: Catherina McKiernan has confirmed her participation in tomorrow's Irish Runner Five-Mile Challenge in the Phoenix Park. The event, which starts at 11 a.m., is the first in the series of adidas countdown races ahead of the Dublin marathon in October.

It is also McKiernan's first race since finishing second in last month's Women's Mini Marathon and is seen as the next step in her efforts to return to world-class athletics. Last year's winner, Pauline Curley, is likely to provide the main opposition.

The men's race has also attracted high quality, led by last year's winner, Noel Berkeley, his Dundrum team-mate Peter Mathews, and Clare's Seamus Power.

Over 1,400 have already entered, with more expected on the day, and that, says race organiser Frank Greally, has "exceeded all expectations".

Sonia O'Sullivan, meanwhile, will this evening continue her build-up to next month's World Championships in Paris with another test over 1,500 metres at the Madrid Grand Prix. The field includes 11 athletes who have run faster than O'Sullivan this season, led by American Suzy Favor Hamilton, who has run four minutes 1.69 seconds compared to O'Sullivan's 4:9.86.

Elsewhere, Ireland's Dervla O'Rourke has booked her place in tomorrow's semi-finals of the 100 metre hurdles at the European under-23 championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The UCD athlete clocked 13.20 seconds to take second in her heat yesterday, the same time as German winner Nadine Hentshke. Michelle Carey missed out on the final of the 400 metre hurdles by one place, clocking 59.34 seconds when fourth in her semi-final.

A superb run by David McCarthy ensured his place in tomorrow's 400 metres final where he is certain to contend for a medal. In the first of the three semi-finals, McCarthy took second in 46.05 seconds - almost half a second quicker than his lifetime best of 46.48, set in Cork earlier this month.

The win went to Leslie Djhone of France, yet the Celbridge athlete was well clear of Germany's Sebastian Gatzka (46.70) and with that he made sure he was one of the two automatic qualifiers for the final.