Cragg drops out of 5000m

Derval O’Rourke claimed Ireland’s first medal of the European Championships tonight but there was not quite such good news in the final of the men’s 5,000m, as Alistair Cragg, who had led the race with seven laps to go, dropped out before the finish.

Cragg led through the 2000m mark and was keeping pace with eventual winner Mo Farah of Britain near the front.

However, Cragg was burned off and did not seem to have the legs when Spain's Alemayehu Bezabeh threatened for the host nation. Farah took gold in 13:31.18 to complete a terrific 5000m-1000m Championship double, following in the footsteps of France's young sprint star Christophe Lemaitre.

Earlier in the day, none of Ireland’s three relay teams could make a final.

The men’s 4x400m quartet of Gordon Kennedy, Brian Murphy, Brian Gregan and Steven Colvert, were sixth in their first-round race.

In the women’s event Marian Andrews, Joanne Cuddihy, Brona Furlong and Michelle Carey came fifth in the opening round.

The women’s 4x100m team of Amy Foster, Niamh Whelan, Claire Bradley and Ailis McSweeney came fourth in their heat, their time of 43.93s not enough to send them through as a faster loser.