Chris O'Donnell: 'I tend to run my best when there is pressure on'

The 26-year-old Sligo sprinter is too far down the world rankings to qualify for Paris that way, so his sole shot as an individual is to hit the automatic 400m standard of 45.00 – which would require him to take a big chunk off his personal best of 45.26.

PRESSURE: Chris O'Donnell thrives under pressure as he hopes to secure Olympic qualification this weekend. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

He’s used to this. He knows the drill: settle into the blocks, await the starter’s orders, and once that gun fires, it’s time to unleash hell.

Chris O’Donnell knows 45 seconds, and one swift lap of the track, is all that’s between him and his second Olympic Games. But ahead of this weekend’s 123.ie National Championships in Santry, the stakes couldn’t be higher.