Athletics: Cragg third in Boston

Ireland's Alistair Cragg continued his comeback from a back injury by finishing third in a high class 2-mile run at the Boston Indoor Games overnight.

Cragg, who returned to competitive action three weeks ago in Belfast after a nine-month injury lay-off, clocked 8 minutes 27.39 seconds in a slow and tactical race, won by Australian Craig Mottram (8:26.54).

Cragg won last year's event, beating double world champion Kenenisa Bekele in a time of 7:39.87.

Last night, the 25-year-old Irishman claimed the scalps of Ethiopian teenager Tariku Bekele, Kenenisa's brother, and Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya, who came fourth and fifth respectively.

But Mottram, showing superb turn of speed ahead of next weekend's Australian Championships, reeled in long-time leader Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia in the final 60 metres for victory.

Second-placed Sihine (8:27.03) finished just three-tenths of a second ahead of Cragg.

Also in Boston, Wicklow woman Roisin McGettigan timed 9:03.11 to finish seventh in a lively 3000 metres race won by Olympic champion Meseret Defar of Ethiopia (8:30.94).

Kilkenny native Sinead Delahunty Evans, who is now Boston-based, was tenth in the women's mile (4:39.26). Leevale youngster Ciaran O'Lionaird also took second in a competitive junior mile, clocking 4:09.41 behind American winner Michael Coe (4:07.30).