Irish blown off course

EILEEN O’KEEFFE failed to make the final of the women’s hammer at the world championships in Helsinki yesterday.

Again the elements wrought havoc with performances and also played a major role in the elimination of 200m runner Paul Hession and high hurdler Peter Coghlan.

For O’Keeffe, however, it was a huge disappointment. Over the past month she has broken her own Irish record twice and her most recent mark of 69.36, set at the national championships, would have guaranteed her a place in the final.