Cragg fears after Monaco withdrawal

THERE was further concern for Irish team manager, Patsy McGonagle, on the eve of the Olympic team’s departure for the pre-Olympic training camp in Matsue when middle distance runner, Alistair Cragg, pulled out of the 3,000m race at the Super Grand Prix in Monte Carlo last night.

Cragg, who has opted to double up at 1,500m and 5,000m in Beijing, having also qualified at 10,000m, was to put the perfect finishing touch to his preparations at the Monaco meeting, after two sparkling 7:38 runs in Paris and London.

But he never got into last night’s race — lying deep in the field as Benson Esho of Kenya took them through the opening kilometre in 2:32.16. He was missing from a group of 15 that had become established before the second of the pacemakers, Jonathan Komen, took over.

Joseph Ebuya produced a 55.3sec last lap to win, in a personal best time of 7:34.62, from fellow Kenyans, Isaac Songok, 7:35.06, and Abraham Chebii, 7:36.08, with Mo Farah of Great Britain, who was well back in the field when Cragg finished third in Crystal Palace on Saturday, back in eighth.

Last night Patsy McGonagle, who already has injury worries concerning Derval O’Rourke, Eileen O’Keeffe and Joanne Cuddihy, was awaiting news from Cragg as to the reason for his early departure from the race.

“It is obviously a concern,” he admitted. “I know Alistair is in very good shape at the moment and I would be very confident that he can make a final, at the minimum, in Beijing.

“But it is all a matter of confidence building from here on in and the fact that he has come off two really good performances in Paris and London is very encouraging.

“Like I said, it is now a matter of sitting down with him and analysing this particular race, because there has to be an obvious reason for him pulling out.”