Chamney fails to progress from 1500m heats

Thomas Chamney finished seventh in his heat of the 1500 metres tonight, as the first day of World Championships action came to a close in Berlin.

The Clonmel athlete, who is doubling up in the German city with his favoured 800m, came home in a time of 3 minutes, 42.54 seconds but it was not enough to earn him a fastest runners-up spot in the semi-finals.

With the first five qualifying directly through, Chamney had his work cut out and he got boxed in at times during what was an event-filled race.

There was plenty of pushing and shoving throughout and even Algerian Anter Zerguelaine was shoved out onto the grass down the home straight. He recovered well to finish in sixth place, one ahead of Chamney.

The Irish 800m champion started well before taking up a position near the back. He put in a strong finish but was hampered slightly by Germany's Carsten Schlangen coming into the top bend and had to fight it out for a minor position.

Chamney's finishing time would have won the first heat, but with the last heat setting a fast pace he was pushed down the pecking order and out of the reckoning for the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the Cork-born Olive Loughnane will be hoping to lift spirits as the only Irish athlete in action tomorrow.

The three-time Olympian, who has been in very good form of late, has an outside chance of winning a medal in the 20 kilometre walk, which starts at 11am Irish time.