Barr powers into world semi-final in Oregon

FLYING: Ireland’s Thomas Barr qualifies for the semi-finals of the Men’s 400m. ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Thomas Barr shook off recent injury concerns to produce a superb opening effort at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on Saturday, the Ferrybank star finishing second in his 400m hurdles heat in 49.15 to automatically advance to Sunday’s semi-final.

“It’s familiar territory coming in with a haphazard preparation but I’m very happy to get a big Q,” he said. “My training has been good the last two weeks so we knew if I put it together, we should be able to qualify. We had the most stacked heat – it could have been a semi-final out there so I knew it’d be tough but because I was in lane eight, I had to go for it. I couldn’t leave it to chance.”