McGettigan qualifies, Britton and Cragg miss out

Irish Athletics round-up : Roisin McGettigan ran a season's best to book her place in the final of the women's 3000 metres steeplechase…

Irish Athletics round-up: Roisin McGettigan ran a season's best to book her place in the final of the women's 3000 metres steeplechase but team mate Fionnuala Britton missed out on qualification on her Olympic debut.

McGettigan ran a confident race to finish second in heat 2 in a time of 9:28.92. She challenged Tatiana Petrova all the way to the line before the Russian won in 9:28.85.

Britton gave a good account of herself in heat 1 but always struggled to keep pace with the leaders. The Kildare runner made a burst for the line to secure 10th in a time of 9:43.57, which was also a season's best. Russia's Gulnara Galkina-Samitova won the first heat (9:15.17).

Alistair Cragg looked out of sorts and missed out on qualification by finishing eighth in Heat 2 of the men's 1500 metres at the Bird's Next Stadium.

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Kenya's Asbel Kipruto Kiprop won Cragg's heat in 3:41.28 in what turned out to be the slowest of the four heats by almost five seconds.

Cragg kicked for the line along the home straight but his race was already run before crossing the line in 3:44.90.

The top five from each of the heats, plus the fastest losers, qualified for the next round.