ATHLETICS: Four athletes have been added to the Irish team for the European Championships, which open in Munich in a fortnight, August 6th. The most relieved of those is Mark Carroll, who will be entered in the 5,000 metres despite failing to secure the qualifying time this season, writes Ian O'Riordan

As well as Carroll, Paul Hession of Athenry has been entered in the 200 metres, and Una English (DCH) and Maria McCambridge (DSD) both in the 5,000 metres, bringing the list of Irish entries to 31 athletes - by far the largest contingent sent to the event.

There are also a couple of additional event entries, with Karen Shinkins now being listed for the 200 metres as well as her specialist event, the 400 metres, and David McCarthy of Celbridge, who was originally selected only for the 400 metre relay, is also being put forward for the individual 400 metres.

According to Liam Hennessy, international secretary of the Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI), a number of considerations were taken into account when extending the Irish team. In Carroll's case, it was felt that his form still merited selection, and that as bronze medallist from the 1998 championships the extra effort should be made to accommodate his entry.

"We feel that Mark has been a little bit unfortunate with his preparations this season," said Hennessy. "There was a genuine problem with his flight connection on route to Brussels at the weekend, where he felt confident of getting the qualifying time. And before that he hadn't had that many opportunities of getting into a quality race."

In adding English and McCambridge, it was also felt that recent form was impressive enough to consider their entry. Both athletes competed in the 5,000 metres at the Heusden meeting outside Brussels on Saturday night, and despite the horrendous rain came within seconds of the necessary qualifying times.

English took sixth in 15.34.25, and McCambridge seventh in 15.39.01 - just short of the 15.30 laid down by the AAI. But the official European Athletic Association (EAA) standard is 15.44, meaning that the AAI decided to ease their selection criteria.

Marie Davenport, who had also secured the 5,000 metre time, will only compete over the 10,000 metres.

Official EAA standards also allow for qualifying times to be achieved in the period since January 2001, thus allowing Carroll (who ran 13.08.32 last year) to be put forward as a legitimate entry. Again the AAI were originally only accepting standards achieved since January 2002 - with the exceptions of the 10,000 metres, marathon and 50km walk.

Hession and McCarthy were considered in light of their impressive performances at the recent World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.

Hession clocked 21.03 seconds on route to the semi-final (inside the 21.10 Munich standard), and McCarthy improved the Irish junior record to 46.77 on route to the final, marginally short of the 46.70 qualifying time, though he did clock a legal 46.66 indoors.

Doubts remain, however, over the entries of James Nolan (1,500 metres) and Terry McHugh (javelin). Nolan has clearly been struggling with his form and the 3.42.55 clocked in Heusden on Saturday was well outside his desired time, while McHugh is still struggling with a knee injury. Both athletes will make a final decision on their participation at the weekend.

Sonia O'Sullivan, meanwhile, has returned to her London base unconcerned about the minor dip in form suffered in Heusden on Saturday, where she finished third over 5,000 metres in 15.18.07.

"I spoke to Sonia yesterday and she didn't seem bothered at all about that performance," explained Hennessy. "The conditions out there were extremely wet and cold, and she's still totally focused on defending both her 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles."

European Championships

Final Irish selection

Munich (August 6-11th)

MEN

100m: J McAdorey: 200m: P Brizzel,

G Ryan, P Hession; 400m: P McKee,

R Daly, D McCarthy; 1,500m: J Nolan

5,000m: M Carroll; 10,000m: S Power

110m Hurldes: P Coghlan;

Javelin: T McHugh; 20km Walk:

R Heffernan, J Costin; 50km Walk:

J Costin; 4x100m Relay: McAdorey,

Brizzel, Ryan, J Carleton, M Howard

4x400m Relay: McKee, Daly, Ryan,

McCarthy, A Burke.

WOMEN

100m: C Sheehy; 200m: C Sheehy,

S Reilly, K Shinkins; 400m: K Shinkins

1,500: S O'Sullivan G Hendricken,

M Lynch; 5,000m: S O'Sullivan,

U English, M McCambridge; 10,000m:

S O'Sullivan, A Keenan-Buckley,

M Davenport; 100m Hurdles: D O'Rourke

Hammer: E O'Keeffe; 20km Walk:

G O'Sullivan, O Loughnane.