IRELAND’S interest in the world championships in Helsinki ended last night with the elimination of Maria McCambridge (5,000m) and Derval O’Rourke (100m hurdles).

KAREN SHINKINS, one of the athletes dumped on the scrapheap by the Irish Sports Council and left without any financial aid when they introduced their new carding scheme earlier this year, was the one athlete who saved Irish blushes on a dismal opening to the world championships in Helsinki.

A quintet of would-be Golden League millionaires have confirmed their entry to Friday’s Paris leg of the lucrative series.