Both of the Ireland women's relay teams just missed out on qualification for their respective finals at the European Championships in Barcelona this morning, but they had the consolation of setting new national records.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN is a warrior and a fighter and he will win a medal at the Olympic Games in London 2012, according to his coach, Ivonne Cassin.

Rob Heffernan showed remarkable strength to finish in fourth place in this morning's 50km walk at the European Championships, just three days after claiming fourth in the 20km walk.

DERVAL O’ROURKE bounced back from a disappointing disqualification in Barcelona on Friday night to claim her eighth 100m hurdles title and equal Susan Smith’s record at the Woodies DIY National senior championships at Morton Stadium yesterday.

Hurdling star Derval O'Rourke warmed up for her Barcelona bid by securing her eighth national title in the 100m hurdles on the final day of the Woodie's DIY National Senior Track & Field Championships in Santry.

PAUL HESSION will defend his Cork City Sports 200m title at the CIT on Saturday but is unlikely to double up at 100m.

THE stars turned up and performed and the others all exceeded what was expected of them as Ireland not only retained First League status but reinforced their position in the table at the European Team Championships in Budapest over the weekend.

Team manager Patsy McGonagle hailed the efforts of Ireland's top track and field stars as they finished a very credible eighth in the European Team Championships 1st League event in Budapest.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN will have a new spring in his step when he lines up for the 5,000m walk at the Woodies DIY All-Ireland indoor championships at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast this afternoon.

Paul Hession, the big draw on the second and final day of the Woodie's DIY Senior Track and Field Championships in Santry, was forced to withdraw from the 100 metres today due to illness.

PAUL HESSION bids to keep his unbeaten four-year record at the Mardyke intact when he competes in tomorrow’s Cork City Sports (2pm).

SPRINTERS Paul Hession (Athenry AC) and Derval O’Rourke (Leevale AC) will captain the Irish team to compete in the European Team championships in Slovakia this weekend.

KELLY PROPER (Ferrybank) and Marian Andrews (Togher), two of the Irish athletes who excelled at the European indoor championships in Turin last month, will be in action at The Mardyke on Sunday when Leevale Athletic Club promote their annual sports meeting.

The Irish 4x400m women’s relay team put in a fantastic performance in their final this evening after finishing fourth.

DAVID GILLICK’S hopes of making history by winning a third successive 400 metres title at the European Indoor Championships collapsed in his semi-final yesterday.

RISING star Kelly Proper from Waterford lit up the Oval Lingotto arena in Turin yesterday with an inspiring performance during an incredibly successful morning for the Irish.

Waterford’s Kelly Proper smashed the Irish record this morning as she qualified for the final of the Long Jump at the European Indoor Championships in Turin today.

Ireland’s top athletes will begin their quest for medals early tomorrow morning when the European Indoor Track and Field Championships begin at the Oval Lingotto in Turin, Italy.

Athletics Ireland has announced that double gold medallist David Gillick will defend his 400m European Indoor title in Italy next month.

Athletics Ireland has announced a 12-strong team to compete at the European Indoor Track and Field Championships in Turin, Italy next month.

ROISÍN McGETTIGAN, who broke one of Sonia O’Sullivan’s old records when she finished fourth in the Reebok Women’s Mile at the Boston indoor meeting on Saturday, has been included in the Irish team for next month’s European Indoor Championships in Turin.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN continued his sensational build-up to the Olympic Games by knocking 20 seconds off his national record for the 10,000m walk at the Woodies DIY national senior track and field championships yesterday.

IRISH paralympian Jason Smyth has the talent to compete in the London Olympics, his coach, Stephen Maguire, claimed last night.

HOPES of having an Irish men’s 4x400m relay team at this year’s Olympics suffered a blow yesterday with the cancellation of the relay events at tomorrow’s meet in Salamanca, Spain.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN launched his Olympic year with a sensational new national record for the 5k walk at the Woodies DIY Indoor Championships of Ireland at the Odyssey Arena at the weekend.