ATHLETICS:Alistair Cragg has smashed Mark Carroll's Irish 10,000-metres record at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Stanford University, California.

Cragg recorded a time of 27 minutes 39.55 seconds, which was seven seconds faster than Carroll's previous record of 27:46.82. It is also well inside the 27:50.0 A-standard for both the World Championships in Osaka next August and the Olympics Games in Beijing next year.

Cragg finished fourth in a race won by Galen Rupp of Oregon, who won in the fastest time ever run by an American-born collegian - 27:33.48.

There were two other Irish athletes competing in the race - Martin Fagan had a new personal best with 28:18.30, finishing 24th, while Mark Kenneally finished 29th in a time of 28:55.49.