OCI extend Athens deadline

The Olympic Council of Ireland last night sensationally extended the Athens qualification deadline for Irish track and field athletes to 5pm on July 20, in the wake of Athletics Ireland's case pleaded on behalf of those close to the A standard.

With just 35 days to go to the sporting showpiece, the decision is a major backing down for the Council who have so stringently applied the findings of the Sydney 2000 review to their 2004 qualification policy.

Swim Ireland have also been granted the same extension, although with no internationals meets scheduled in the UK and USA, and the Irish Open in Lisburn falling 24 hours outside the deadline, Andrew Bree, Steven Manley and Julie Douglas will have their work cut out to better their B standards.

Ireland's 48-strong travelling party for the Athens games however could hit the 50 mark in that time, with 110m hurdler Peter Coghlan just 0.08 seconds off the A mark, 1500m runner Gareth Turnbull close and sprinters Gary Ryan, Rob Daly and Karen Shinkins showing signs of progress in recent weeks.

AAI High Performance manager Elaine Fitzgerald said afterwards: "We're obviously delighted at the outcome and are hopeful that the athletes can make the most of it now."

The original deadline for track and field athletes was June 30, but that was shifted to July 3 to include last weekend's high profile BUPA Cork City Sports meet. Three-time Olympian Sonia O'Sullivan heads the 13 track and field athletes heading to Greece next month.

36-year-old discus thrower Nick Sweeney, who threw the 64 metre A standard at a USTAF meet in Massachusetts 24 hours after the initial deadline last weekend, is still waiting to have his throw ratified by the IAAF.

The extended period does not include the National Championships however, to be staged at Santry's Morton stadium on July 24-25.