Mageean, who’s season got off to a flier when she set a new Irish 1500m Indoor record at the World Athletics Indoor Grand Prix in Boston in January, will bid for another Irish record when she competes in the 3000m.

Having wiggled and waggled his way to winning a world championship, the country’s latest antidote to austerity blues arrived home last night to the kind of welcome only a hero deserves.

Caitriona Cuddihy is to be replaced by Joanna Mills on the Irish women's 4x400m Olympic team, it was announced today.