Early start for Loughnane in chase for Euro glory

OLIVE LOUGHNANE gets the programme under way in the women’s 20k walk at 7.05am (Irish time) when she faces a field of just 23 in her quest to add a European Championship medal to her world championship medal and only Sonia O’Sullivan and Eamonn Coghlan have done that in outdoor competition before.

The field may be smaller than usual but, unlike the men’s 20k, there are no major defections with Olga Kaskina (Russia) favourite to add another gold medal to her Olympic and two world championships medals.

Beatriz Pascual (Spain) who finished ahead of her in La Caruna is included along with Vera Santos and Ines Henriques from Portugal, who were third and fourth, are included.