You know, as the days pass in the World Athletics Championships, it doesn't get any easier and the Irish certainly had a hard time on the track last night.
For Gareth Turnbull, the standard of running in the 1,500m semi-finals had him breathing hard before the bell lap and battling hard from there to the finish.
In the end, the quality was simply unmatchable and Turnbull had to be content with 10th position, second-last in his race and way short of the doorway to tomorrow's final. His time of three minutes 42.01 seconds certainly wasn't slow for championship running, but the sort of acceleration he would have needed to match the leaders on the last lap was clearly missing.
Tactically, too, the Belfast man had done all he could, and still was left chasing in vain when world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj put his foot down some 600 metres from home.
The Moroccan duly won in 3:38.25 from Portugal's Rui Silva and less than a second separated the first six finishers, all of whom had the turn of pace Turnbull had found desperately wanting.
"They just always seemed that extra five metres ahead on the last lap," he admitted. "Mentally, I was right in it, but physically I just wasn't there. I mean I hadn't done anything wrong tactically, but there was just nothing more in the tank when I went looking for it."
Only 24, Turnbull has already put years of frustration behind him to get to this level, his first major championships, but he wasn't hiding his disappointment.
"I'm not going to start the clichés about this being a great experience. It's just unfortunate there wasn't more in there on the day."
As Turnbull departed for the night he was passed by the great French hope Mehdi Baala, winner of the second heat in 3:39.73 and it seems the one man that can truly test El Guerrouj in the final.
Karen Shinkins was also back on the track last night for the semi-finals of the 400m, having run her best race of the season to get that far.
Being drawn in lane one didn't help her chances, but in truth on this occasion she was well outside her finest form, which might have seen her come close to another day out. But, reflecting on her eighth place finish in 52.74 seconds, Shinkins did have reason for her mixed emotions.
"I tried not to think too much about lane one, but you do feel like you are always chasing from there. I thought I took it out a little harder too.
"But making the semi-finals has still been a good end to my season, because a few weeks ago I wasn't even sure if I'd be here. It's just disappointing that there wasn't a faster time in there."
Winning the semi-final was the Mexican Ana Guevara in 50.68, the favourite for the title for several weeks now, but she clearly won't have it all her own way as defending champion Amy Mbacke Thiam of Senegal clocked in with 50.78 in her race, and Tonique Williams of the Bahamas won the third race in 50.43.
Concluding the Irish interest last night was Derval O'Rourke in the 100m hurdles, at 22 the youngest member of the team - and probably the least experienced of those present for her event.
Her semi-final run at the World Indoor championships earlier this year was her one true test to date at this level.
Running in the fourth of five heats she was also seen to be limited by the ankle injury that had curtailed her training so much since lowering the Irish record to 12.96 last month. At the finish she found herself last in 13.54.
"Well that was a bit of a disaster," she confessed. "But to be honest I've only had six hurdle sessions in the last six weeks with the injury."
Men's 1,500m Semi-final - 1: 1 H El Guerrouj (Mor) 3mins 38.25secs, 2 R Silva (Por) 3:38.37, 3 I Heshko (Ukr) 3:38.43, 4 R Parra (Spa) 3:38.51, 5 V Shabunin (Rus) 3:38.60, 6 G-J Liefers (Ned) 3:38.61, 7 I Songok (Ken) 3:39.84, 8 Y Abdi (Aus) 3:40.13, 9 C Obrist (Ita) 3:41.88, 10 G Turnbull (Irl) 3:42.01, 11 K Sullivan (Can) 3:42.33.
100 metres final - 1 K Collins (Skn) 10.07secs, 2 D Brown (Tri) 10.08, 3 D Campbell (Brit) 10.08.
Hammer final - 1 I Tikhon (Blr) 83.05m, 2 A Annus (Hun) 80.36, 3 K Murofushi (Jpn) 80.12.
High Jump final - 1 J Freitag (Rsa) 2.35m, 2 S Holm (Swe) 2.32, 3 M Boswell (Can) 2.32.
Triple Jump final - 1 C Olsson (Swe) 17.72m, 2 Y Betanzos (Cub) 17.28, 3 L Sands (Bah) 17.26.
Women's 400 metres semi-final - 3: 1 A Guevara (Mex) 50.68secs, 2 N Nazarova (Rus) 50.92, 3 M Nguimgo (Cmr) 51.19, 4 S Usovich (Blr) 51.46, 5 S Richards (Jam) 51.80, 6 C Amertil (Bah) 51.85, 7 A Tkach (Isr) 52.25, 8 K Shinkins (Irl) 52.74.
100m Hurdles 1st round - 4: 1 P Felicien (Can) 12.70secs, 2 L Golding-Clarke (Jam) 12.86, 3 L Ferga-Khodadin (Fra) 12.86, 4 S Laukhova (Rus) 12.92, 5 Y Su (Chn) 13.12, 6 J Vis (Ned) 13.36, 7 M-J Conjungo (Caf) 13.51, 8 D O'Rourke (Irl) 13.54.
Pole Vault final
1 S Feofanova (Rus) 4.75m, 2 A Becker (Ger) 4.70, 3 Y Isinbayeva (Rus) 4.65.
Today's Schedule
(All times Irish)
09.00 - 100m, Decathlon
09.05 - Women's Hammer throw, Q
09.45 - Women's 200m, 1st round
10.00 - Long jump, Decathlon
11.00 - Shot put, Decathlon
17.00 - High jump, Decathlon
17.15 - Men's 400m hurd, 1st round
17:45 - Men's Pole vault, Q
17:45 - Men's Pole vault, Q
18:05 - Women's 5,000m, 1st round
(Sonia O'Sullivan)
18:30 - Women's Triple jump, Final
18:50 - Men's Discus throw, Final
19.00 - Women's 200m, 2nd round
19:30 - Women's 100m hurd, S-finals
19:45 - Women's 800m, Final
20:00 - 400m, Decathlon
20:35 - Men's steeplechase, Final
20:50 - Men's 400m, Final
Q = Qualification
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