Three added to Ireland Olympic team

Three further athletes - 400 metres hurdler Michelle Carey, marathon runner Pauline Curley and 800 metres specialist Thomas Chamney - have today been added to the Irish Olympic team for next month's Games in Beijing.

In a statement, the Olympic Council of Ireland confirmed that they have "decided to accept" the trio's 'B' nominations from Athletics Ireland for places at the Olympics.

All three are first-time Olympians, with the 39-year-old Curley set to become the first Irish woman to run the Olympic marathon since Marie Rollins-Murphy and Ailish Smith did so in Seoul in 1988.

Curley, who hails from Tullamore in Offaly, got the 'B' standard for the Games when she ran a personal best of 2 hours, 39 minutes and five seconds in the Rotterdam marathon in April.

She has not competed at a major championships since she represented Ireland at the 2005 World Cross Country Championships in St-Etienne/St-Galmier.

Chamney won the 800m final at the Woodie's DIY National Track & Field Championship in Santry yesterday, clocking 1 minute, 50.73 seconds as he beat defending champion David Campbell.

The Crusaders clubman, who is 24, was marginally outside the Olympic 'A' standard (1 minute, 46 seconds) when he ran 1:46.66 in Lignano last week for a season's best.

He is our first Olympian at 800m since David Matthews competed in the event at the Sydney Games in 2000.

Carey, from the Dublin Striders club, retained her 400m hurdles title at the weekend's Nationals in a time of 58.16 seconds.

The 27-year-old part-time teacher ran a personal best of 56.19 seconds at a meet in Walnut, California in April, which saw her dip under the Olympic 'B' standard of 56.50.

Ireland's last female 400m hurdler to qualify for the Olympics was Susan Smith-Walsh back in 2000.

Patsy McGonagle, Ireland's athletics team manager for the Beijing Games, said: "The selectors decided to nominate 'B' standard athletes for Beijing but it was then up to the Olympic Council to select them.

"I am delighted with their decision. I must say I have to compliment the OCI on moving so quickly."

The trio's selection brings the Irish athletics contingent bound for China to 16, with hammer thrower Eileen O'Keeffe the leading medal hope.