Irish success at World University Games

Ireland celebrated in style at the World University Games in Izmir, Turkey tonight as Ailis McSweeney and Derval O'Rourke, both products of Cork's Leevale club, grabbed podium finishes.

McSweeney, 22, fourth at last month's Nationals, was third fastest out of the blocks and improved her stride to the line to take silver in the 100 metres final.

The UCC year-down student clocked 11.68 seconds to finish just four hundredths behind Russian winner Olga Khalandyreva. National champion Anna Boyle, a University of Ulster student, started poorly but fought well for sixth in 11.77.

McSweeney's success at the Ataturk stadium arrived only two hours after her Cork compatriot O'Rourke had claimed bronze, Ireland's first medal at this year's Games, in the 100m hurdles final.

The UCD student, a semi-finalist at last week's World Championships in Helsinki, was edged out for silver by Russian Tatyana Pavliy by just one-hundredth of the second. The 24-year-old O'Rourke clocked 13.02 seconds - her second quickest time of the season.

Estonia's Mirjam Liimask struck gold in 12.96, exactly the time O'Rourke mustered two years ago when breaking Susan Smith's national record.

Those medals bring Ireland's track haul at the University Games up to eleven since 1930. Galway's Paul Hession was Ireland's only medal winner at the 2003 Games in Korea, thanks to a silver in the 200m.

Elsewhere tonight, Ireland's two 1500m competitors, Jolene Byrne and Mark Christie, qualified through to their respective finals. Institute of Accountancy student Byrne, the current national champion at cross country and 1500m, clocked 4 minutes 20.90 seconds for fifth in her heat, while DCU's Christie finished third in his heat in a comfortable 3:47.30.