Double gold for Ireland

Alistair Cragg has picked off Ireland's second gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in the space of an hour, in Madrid.

The 24-year-old South African-born star coasted to the 3000 metres title, clocking 7 minutes 46.32 seconds - as he burned off Spaniard Reyes Estevez - who finished third (7:51.65) - in a fabulous front-running display.

Cork's Mark Carroll - who earlier helped set the pace for Cragg - tailed off for ninth (7:57.56) in the ten-man field, with British veteran John Mayock bagging silver with a season's best of 7:51.46.

Earlier, Dundrum-South-Dublin's David Gillick struck gold in the 400 metres, and the 21-year-old dismissed the physicality of the final.

"It's a part of the 400 metres runner, I mean to box in, and be boxed in. My recovery from yesterday's semi-final was very good - and that was crucial.

"Although I couldn't run as fast as yesterday, I know that it's very difficult to repeat performances, and I'm still a very young runner.

"A month ago I couldn't imagine to win at the Europeans," added a surprised Gillick.