Ten athletes in line for Irish selection

Athletics:Ten Irish athletes have put themselves in line for selection for the European Indoor Championships – which get under way in Gothenburg on Friday week, March 1st – although Athletics Ireland are waiting until Sunday before naming the team. That was always the deadline, although Athletics Ireland are also waiting to appoint a team manager for the championships, hardly ideal given they're 10 days away.

The five men and five women already qualified are Brian Gregan (400 metres), Ciarán Ó Lionáird (1,500/3,000m) and John Travers, David McCarthy and Stephen Scullion (all 3,000m), plus Derval O’Rourke (60m hurdles), Fionnuala Britton (1,500m/3,000m), Ciara Everard (800m), Amy Foster (60m) and Tori Pena (pole vault).

Ó Lionáird has confirmed his intention to run, but not which event he might run and given only three athletes per country can be entered in each event, should Ó Lionáird decide on the 3,000m then Travers, McCarthy or Scullion will miss out. Athletics Ireland have said “achieving a performance standard does not guarantee right of selection”, and it could be O’Rourke might have to prove her fitness too, after withdrawing from Sunday’s National Indoors in Athlone with a muscle injury.