It is a strange individual that enjoys the torture of marathon running.

Irish hopes of a medal from the European track and field championships in Helsinki were dashed on the final day when leading hope Fionnuala Britton finished fourth in the women’s 10,000m in 32:05.54, over half a minute outside the time which qualified her for the Olympic Games on her debut over the distance.

It was pain in the rain for Ireland on the penultimate night of the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki - both 4x400m relay squads were disqualified, while eighth place was the best return from the four Irish finalists.

Three Irish Championship debutants were shown the harsh realities of stepping up to a senior international Games in this morning’s action at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki.

SATURDAY

Bernard Brogan: The 28-year-old Dublin forward won his first All-Ireland last year and will add to his sporting achievements by carrying the torch.

Maria McCambridge will not appeal the decision which yesterday destroyed her Olympic marathon dream.

The Athletics Ireland Selection Committee has today announced its Olympic selections in the marathon and race-walking events.

Colin Griffin has boosted the Irish track and field team for the Olympic Games to 18 after sailing past the Olympic A standard to qualify for the 50k race walking at London 2012.

Joanne Cuddihy will compete in the Olympic 400 metres, having become the 17th Irish track and field athlete to qualify for London 2012.

European cross-country champion Fionnuala Britton has secured her second Olympic 'A' standard for London 2012 by beating the 10,000m mark by 16 seconds.

Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia yesterday smashed the course record when he cruised to victory in the SPAR Great Ireland Run in Dublin’s Phoenix Park yesterday.

Ireland’s Olympic selectors have been given a marathon headache, as a fourth athlete has made the qualifying mark for the women’s marathon at London 2012.

The tenth SPAR Great Ireland Run and SPAR Mini and Junior Great Ireland Runs should create a special atmosphere in the Phoenix Park in Dublin tomorrow as over 11,000 adults and children enjoy a family day out.

The first Irish sportsman to qualify for Olympics 2012 will carry the Olympic torch through Dublin.

Maria McCambridge has become the 15th athlete to qualify for the Irish Track and Field team for this year’s Olympic Games in London.

Tori Pena has become the first Irish pole vaulter in athletics history to qualify for an Olympic Games.

EUROPE’S top cross-country runner, Fionnuala Britton will be one of the favourites for the gold medal when she leads the Irish women’s team into next month’s European cross-country championships in Slovenia.

LINDA BYRNE (Dundrum/South Dublin) claimed her place at next year’s Olympic Games in London when she finished sixth in yesterday’s National Lottery Dublin Marathon in 2:36:21 which was just inside the “A” standard set by Athletics Ireland at 2:37.

LINDA BYRNE will add to an already exciting women’s field in the National Lottery Dublin Marathon this morning with the national championships incorporated in the event.

PAUL HESSION returned to the scene of his fastest run to claim his place in the 200m at next year’s Olympic Games in London.

Paul Hession ran his fastest time of the year at today's Woodie's DIY National Senior Track & Field Championships, and in doing so secured his place at the 2012 Olympics.

SOME of Ireland top young talents secured qualification for international events at the Woodie’s DIY AAI Games at windswept Santry yesterday.

LIAM HENNESSY, President of Athletics Ireland, was elected to the Council of European Athletics at the European Athletics Congress in London.

AFTER big runs over 1,500m (3:41.02) at the weekend and 10,000m (28:32.30) two weeks ago, Ciaran Ó Lionáird is all set for a return to Stanford on May 1 to tackle 5,000m.

MARIAN HEFFERNAN has been added to the Irish team for next week’s European indoor championships in Paris.

CIARA MAGEEAN has secured the most lucrative sponsorship deal in the history of Irish junior athletics after signing a six-figure deal with sportswear giants New Balance.

WITH Ciarán Ó Lionáird committed to competing and David McCarthy set to return from Providence, the task of putting together a medal winning under-23 team for the European cross-country championships should be completed on Sunday at the Woodies DIY national inter-county cross-country championships at Gransha Park, Derry.

SPEEDSTERS Derval O’Rourke and Paul Hession head up a strong Irish side to travel to Budapest for the second European Team Championships on June 19-20.

PAUL HESSION will open what he has described as his “big year” in an unusual setting for a sprinter when he lines up for the 100m at the Great City Games on a specially laid track on the streets of Manchester’s Deansgate on Sunday week.

OVER 3,000 runners will go to the starting line for tomorrow’s “Ballycotton 10”, Ireland’s most enduring and successful road race.

NEWLY-CROWNED national senior cross-country champion, Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers), is among the entries for the phenomenon that is the Ballycotton 10 road race.

MARK KENNEALLY had the honour of leading the Irish challenge home when he finished eighth in the senior men’s race at the SPAR European Cross-Country Championships at Santry Demesne, as the other more established members of the team flopped.

Ireland's Mark Kenneally put in the performance of his life to take eighth in the men’s senior race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Santry Park, Dublin.

ALISTAIR CRAGG has made no secret of the fact that he fancies his chances in tomorrow’s SPAR European cross-country championships at Santry Demesne and his arrival yesterday added to the air of excitement that surrounds the Irish camp, situated just a stone’s throw from what is a resplendent course.

ALISTAIR CRAGG will get his place on the Irish senior men’s team for the SPAR European cross-country championships if he proves his fitness in tomorrow’s 5k road race in San Jose.

MARY CULLEN underscored her medal potential, while Andrew Led with signalled his intentions for next month’s SPAR European Cross-Country Championships with sweeping victories in the Woodies DIY National Inter-Counties cross-country championships held over Kilbeggan Racecourse yesterday.

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.

David Gillick warmed up for the forthcoming World Championships by claiming the 200 metres title at the Woodie's DIY National Athletics Championships at Morton Stadium this afternoon.

THE expression on his face as he powered his way up the home straight said it all as Drogheda athlete, Keith Kelly, buried 10 years of frustration at Santry Park yesterday by claiming the National senior cross-country title for the first time at the age of 31.

ALISTAIR CRAGG is favourite to win the Woodies DIY National Cross-Country Championships at his first attempt in Belfast this afternoon.

ALISTAIR CRAGG was yesterday basking in the glory of a new Irish record he set on Sunday when he smashed Mark Carroll’s national 10,000m mark with a 27:39.55 run at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational meeting in Stanford University, California.

Alistair Cragg has smashed Mark Carroll's Irish 10,000m record by seven seconds.