Ciara Mageean battles through
The UCD athlete battled her way through in Belgrade but it was far from a five-star performance. Positioned in the top two automatic spots for most of the race, Mageean was run out at the finish in fourth in 4:12.81 but edged through as one of the three fastest non-automatic qualifiers. Sweden’s Meraf Bahta was first in 4:12.39.
“I didn’t want to leave it that late as a fastest loser,” said Mageean afterwards who will change her tactics for the final and hope for more spring in the legs come the finish.
“My plan was to get one or two but I’m through to the final and that’s all that matters.
“I felt comfortable with the pace. I’ll just make sure the last two laps I’m there or there abouts and when someone’s on my shoulder I’ll battle them to hold that spot because that’s the deciding factor. It’s always easier coming from behind overtaking rather than being in front and stop them from overtaking. I’ll learn from that.”
It may not be enough time to learn with Great Britain’s Laura Muir still on course for a 1500m and 3,000m double. The Scot had a busy day with two races finishing fifth in her 3,000m heat in 8:55.56 and then winning her 1500m heat in 4:10.28. She will have clear focus for the 1500m final with the 3,000m medal race not until tomorrow. It will be a tall order for Mageean to medal in what has been a very trying championship for the Irish athletes. Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) finished 6th in 4:23.82 in heat three of the 1500m and didn’t advance.
Sinead Denny (DSD) got Irish interest underway in the Kombank stadium finishing fourth in heat 1 of the women’s 400m heats in 54.20.
Phil Healy (Bandon) finished third in a physical 400m heat, where she was checked heavily at the bell, with her time of 54.80 not enough to advance. “It was a disaster of a race, all around, out there, but I’ll learn a huge amount,” said Healy who will now turn her attention to the 60m heats this morning. Emerald’s Ciara Neville will also make her senior debut in the 60m. Zak Curran (DSD) was unable to advance in the men’s 800m heats finishing fifth in his heat in 1:50.87.
Gregan was drawn with championship favourite Pavel Maslak (Czech Republic) and managed his race well to finish second in 47.62 to qualify automatically for the semi-final. He was drawn with Maslak once more but this time it wasn’t to be with a sixth place finish in 48.08. Ben Reynolds (North Down) also bowed out in sixth in his 60m hurdles semi-final in 7.81.
John Travers (Donore Harriers) advanced to the men’s 1500m final after an appeal following a seventh place finish in 3:59.72 after a bizarre men’s 1500m heat where a false start recall led to him stopping for several seconds along with Spanish athlete Marc Alcala. Team manager Patsy McGonagle successfully appealed afterwards where Alcala also advanced.
“I wanted to walk off the track,” said Travers on the farcical start. “We must have lost 50 or 60 metres. You can’t prepare for something like that.”
Belgium’s Olympic champion Nafti Thiam won the women’s pentathlon. Britain’s Andrew Pozzi won the men’s 60m hurdles final in 7.51 secs. Germany’s Cindy Roleder won the women’s final in 7.88.
Hungary’s Anita Marton won the women’s shot put with a world leading 19.28m. Poland’s Piotr Lisek won gold with 5.85m in the pole vault.
