Fast-finish sees Brian Gregan speed into World 400m semi-finals

“It’s my second-fastest time ever, and running that in a heat at eleven o’clock in the morning is just pretty incredible.”

Brian Gregan has kick-started Ireland’s World Athletics Championships campaign by automatically qualifying for tomorrow evening’s 400m semi-finals in front of another full-house in London, writes Will Downing.

Having set a new lifetime best of 45.26 seconds last month, and also winning at the European Team Championships in Finland, Gregan continued his excellent summer by coming in third in his first-round heat at the Olympic Stadium in 45.37 seconds, breezing into the next round.