McGonagle: Olympic squad could be 24-strong

Olympic team manager, Patsy McGonagle, predicts Ireland could have 24 athletes at the London Olympics.

McGonagle was speaking after Fionnuala Britton secured qualification for the Games in the 10,000m in Stanford on Sunday. Britton finished third in 31:20.22, comfortably inside the Olympic A standard of 31:45. The European cross-country champion had already produced the 3,000m steeplechase A standard .

She was one of a number of Irish athletes in action at the event. Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) was 17th in the 5,000m in 13:37.32, outside the Olympic standard. Brendan O’Neill (Dundrum South Dublin) was further back in the field but clocked a career best of 13:41.06. Joe Sweeney finished 25th in the 10,000m in 28:45.17. Alastair Cragg did not finish the 10,000m.