ATHLETICS:IF YOU didn't believe in Alistair Cragg, if you didn't rate him or understand him or even particularly like him, perhaps you'll believe him now. Because after delivering one of the more honest Irish performances on the hot track here in Beijing, he then felt driven into delivering the most honest performance off it.

Even those that have followed Cragg's career with the sort of respect and admiration it deserves would have been astonished by the way he stepped out of character - clearly pressed to breaking point - and said what he felt needed to be said. No more letting the negative vibes and comments get through to his psyche.

At the time, crucially, Cragg was down, but not yet out. His effort in the first of three 5,000-metre heats had disgusted him, he said, because he missed one of the four automatic places for Saturday's final. He finished sixth in 13:38.57, running bravely and honestly the whole way.

"What do you want me to say? Obviously I'm disgusted with how I ran. I have made a lot of sacrifices . . . I think I ran the perfect race. Maybe I should have gone at 300 metres. But instead I said I'd relax, and just try to kick in . . ."

As Cragg poured out his heart and gave us what was left of his soul, the two remaining heats carried on. The second was won in 13:46.41 and the third in 13:39.70.

Several big names got the chop, including Australia's Craig Mottram, Britain's Mo Farah, Spain's Alberto Garcia and New Zealand's Adrian Blincoe.

What Cragg didn't realised as he let loose was that his time was more than enough to see him through as one of the three fastest finishers - faster, as it turned out, than the winners of the two other heats, and almost four seconds inside what was required.

So he pressed on, wiping the tears from his eyes and staring straight at us in the mixed zone.

Cragg had made the final in Athens four years ago, Ireland's only male track finalist, and he knows more than anyone that not making the final in Beijing would be viewed one way only: failure.

We told him we knew the effort he'd put into it, what it must mean if he missed out. But this wasn't just pain he was feeling now. This was anger.

"No. No one knows what I've put into it. I just know there are a lot of prominent names saying we're not great. There's so much negativity coming from the top down, and that's sad. I think it's about time for the older people to back us. Instead of putting us down.

"I'm frustrated with myself. But frustrated too that so many people would rather look at your faults, instead of helping out. I mean how many distance runners does Ireland have in this situation? There is so much history and background in the sport, but it's stuck in the 70s and 80s and hasn't looked beyond. Because they try to make themselves legends. Not one particular person, just the whole history of the sport . . .

"Instead, these people should be coming on our side. Like standing next to Thomas (Chamney) and telling him what a great achievement it is to come here. Or stand next to myself. It's easy to sit back, and point fingers. And that's not like it used to be.

"Even Tariku Bekele (younger brother of Kenenisa) would be a legend back in the 70s. And you don't even consider him here. That's what people need to look at. To come together and support.

"I know Mark Carroll has felt alone out at these things too. Look at the people that have experience and ask them to help. Because no one is helping. They'd rather just comment. Don't stay stuck in the 70s and 80s. I know we had legends at the time. It's a different sport now.

"John Treacy - I respect him as an athlete. But honestly, it's such a different sport today. I don't know how he would do (today) in the world cross-country. He's a great athlete of his time and a champion, but why don't we use that brain, instead of saying why can't we match the performance of John Treacy. Obviously we can't. It's a new era."

Throughout this, Cragg wasn't aware his time was good enough to qualify. All the better, because this was emotion that had been simmering for a long while.

"We get it all the time, at every championship . . . how we've failed. No one is ever happy with our performance because we don't match what it used to be like. I've seen it in the Irish character, but we have a goldmine of experience, even with Sonia, and we're not using it. Of course, people have to make their own choices."

Since choosing to represent Ireland seven years ago, thanks to having Irish grandparents and the influence of his Irish-born coach John McDonnell, the South African-born Cragg has never once been even mildly critical of the system or tradition he suddenly found himself single-handedly sustaining.

It was a sensational confession, and could not have been better timed. Too many Irish athletes were leaving Beijing under the burden of failure, when it should not be that way.

Just a little earlier, Thomas Chamney had run well to finish fifth in his 800-metre heat.

Chamney also said the general attitude toward Irish athletics needed to change.

"I know some of the more high-profile members might not have run as well as they would have hoped, but it's not for the lack of trying. Athletics Ireland are trying. I'd love to train in Ireland. But first of all, there is no one to train with. No one wants to co-operate with anyone else. There's no cohesiveness. All the sprinters had to move abroad.

"All the distance runners are based in the States. I'd love there to be a better set-up in Ireland, but it's going to take a mind change, as much as 'let's just build the facilities'.

Middle-distance running has really gone downhill. I'd love for it to be different."