English main hope as tough campaign awaits Irish

It will be a tough first day of competition for the five Irish athletes competing at the world indoor championships in Poland today but they all have their personal goals to keep them on track.

West Waterford’s David McCarthy will be the first Irish athlete on the track in the men’s 1500m (11.25am Irish time) and his goal is “to make the final” but it will be a tall order with last season’s medallists, Morocco’s Abdalaati Iguider, Turkey’s Ilham Tanui Ozbilen and Ethiopia’s Mekonnen Gebremedhin amongst a loaded entry list.

Rose-Anne Galligan and Ciara Everard will toe the line at midday in the women’s 800m with USA’s Ajee Wilson and Chanelle Price along with Great Britain’s Laura Muir the favourites.