A blistering opening morning session for the Irish team saw four athletes progress to semi-finals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Prague.

Sergiu Ciobanu, the Moldovan native who runs with Clonliffe Harriers, will start favourite to win tomorrow’s annual Ballycotton 10 mile road race in East Cork — the 37th edition of this classic event.

Two friends of the late model Katy French will be sentenced in two weeks' time for a drug offence committed on the weekend the socialite collapsed at their home.

Two friends of the late model Katy French have pleaded guilty to drug offences on the weekend the socialite collapsed at their home almost five years ago.

A blanket finish to last night’s Morton Mile in Santry saw 10 runners break four minutes as American runner Will Leer led the field home in 3:56.39 from David Torrence, (USA) in 3:56.40 and Ryan Gregson, (Australia) in 3:56.45. Ireland’s Ciarán Ó Lionaird, (Leevale A.C), finished sixth in 3:56.02.

Paul Hession has breezed through to the semi-finals of the men’s 200 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, but for Steven Colvert there was the frustration of becoming the latest athlete to fall foul of the Olympic Stadium’s infamous tight lanes.

Another sensational day in Helsinki has seen three Irish athletes qualify for finals at the European Athletics Championships.

Freddy Keron denied Sergui Ciobanu a notable three-in-a-row triumph when the Kenyan broke the course record to win yesterday’s sixth edition of the Cork City Marathon since it was revived in 2007.

Ciarán O’Liornad’s indoor season has been an extension of last year’s outdoor form which resulted in a fine performance in the 1500 meters Final at the World Outdoor Championships in Daegu.

HE let her catch her breath before popping the question and taking it away again.

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

COACH Nick Dakin is looking for a winning performance from David Gillick in this morning’s first-round heats of the 400m at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona to ensure a good lane draw for the semi-finals.

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.

Two people have appeared in court charged in connection with the death of model Katy French.

Today's Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon was won by Moldovian Sergiu Ciobanu in a time of 2:25:54.

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.

ATHLETICS action at the weekend centred on the 46th running of the KitKat Tailteann Schools’ Interprovincial Championships in Santry on Saturday and the Woodie’s DIY Junior and U23 Track and Field Championships yesterday in Tullamore.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN faces his first big test of Olympic year when he lines up for the first leg of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Chihuahua, northern Mexico, on Saturday.

VINNY MULVEY (Raheny Shamrock) made the 100-metre trip from his apartment to claim the National inter-club cross-country championship title in spectacular fashion at Santry Demesne on Saturday from young Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) and his flatmate, Killian Lonergan.