Chamney and McCarthy make 800m semis

Thomas Chamney and David McCarthy both qualified for the 800 metres semi-finals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships today in Birmingham to complete a very satisfactory first day for the Irish team.

The Dublin-born Chamney, a final year student at the University of Notre Dame, led through 200m, 400m and 600m in a pedestrian heat. He was beaten to the line by Spain's Miguel Quesada as he eased up in a time of one minute, 55.58 seconds.