Cragg through, but Carroll misses out

Twenty-four-year-old Alistair Cragg ran one of the races of his life as he came through his 5000m heat as a fastest loser, qualifying him for Saturday's 5000m final in just his first major track championship.

The Johannesburg-born athlete, who ran a personal best last month in London of 13:12.74, clocked 13:23.01 to finish outside of the automatic five qualifiers in heat one, but good enough for seventh behind winner and World record holder Kenenisa Bekele of Kenya (13:21.16).

Cragg's time ranked him fourth fastest of the fastest losers. Running well within himself, the six-time American collegiate champion headed the field with five and four laps remaining, and kept pace at the tail end of a tightly bunched lead group led by Bekele and Athens 1500m gold medallist Hicham El Guerrouj.

Cragg, who qualifies for Ireland through his great grand mother, showed he was comfortable at this world level, but was out-sprinted for fifth and lost sixth position to Moroccan Hicham Bellani in the final 150 metres, as he tired.

Sydney veteran Mark Carroll was not so lucky in the second heat as poor tactics and the stifling heat rendered the Leevale man off-the-pace for the deciding final four laps.

The 32-year-old decided to led from the front and ultimately paid the price as he took a field, including 19-year-old World champion Eliud Kipchoge, through the first 1000 in 2:39.99 and the second in 5:24.90.

The Irish record holder was outpaced in the final stage and trailed in a disappointing 15th of the 18 starters in 13:46.81. Algerian Ali Saidi-Sief won in a time of 13:18.94.

Cragg, coached by Mayo man John McDonnell, will be the only European in the 15-man final field. Australian Craig Mottram and Tim Broe of the United States have also qualified.

Mottram has been coached by Sonia O'Sullivan's husband Nic Bideau for the past two years.

Results:

Athletics: Men's 5000m heats (first five to qualify, plus five fastest losers) -

Heat 1:

(1) Kenenisa Bekele (Eth) 13:21.16, (2) Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam (Eth) 13:21.20, (3) Hicham El Guerrouj (Mor) 13:21.87, (4) Craig Mottram (Aus) 13:21.88, (5) Abraham Chebii (Ken) 13:22.30; (7) Alistair Cragg (Irl) 13:23.01* qualifies as fourth fastest loser

Heat 2:

(1) Ali-Saidi-Sief (Alg) 13:18.94, (2) Eluid Kipchoge (Ken) 13:19.01, (3) Dejene Birhanu (Eth) 13:19.42, (4) John Kibowen (Ken) 13:19.65, (5) Abderrahim Gourmi (Mor) 13:20.03; (15) Mark Carroll (Irl) 13:46.81