Athletics: Derval O'Rourke's world championship is at an end after she finished last in this morning's semi-finals of the 100 metres hurdle.
Starting in lane one, the Cork athlete made a relatively good start but by the fifth hurdle had began to lose touch with a strong field.
Realistically, O'Rourke need to equal her personal best just to see her into the final but faded in the closing metres, finishing in a time of 12.98 seconds.
There was better news for Paul Hession, who eased into the semi-finals of the 200 metres with comfortable runs in today's two heats.
The 24-year-old qualified for the second round of the 200 metres after finishing second in his heat in a time of 20.46 seconds before progressing to the semis, winning his quarter-final in a time of 20.50.
"I knew I had to run half decent, so that wasn't bad," Hession said after the quarter-finals. "It was nice to win but more important to get a good lane for the semis."
Meanwhile, Eileen O'Keefe cannot wait for the hammer final to get under way on Thursday night.
O'Keefe is desperate to get into action again after easily qualifying with her very first throw in the Nagai stadium.
The Irish record holder expected her performance to go to plan after her pre-event warm-up went better than she could ever have wished before entering the main arena.
O'Keefe, who failed to get past the qualifying stage two years ago in Helsinki, had no problems with the stifling heat and humidity before producing a marvellous first attempt.
"71m on my first throw, that's exactly what I had planned," said the seven-times national champion, who exceeded the automatic qualifying distance by seven centimetres.
O'Keefe, after leaving the infield for the cool of the mixed zone, added: "I did the practice throw quite easily, so I knew that I had the big one here."
It may have been only a few centimetres further than the required distance, but the preliminary round is about doing the business as quickly as possible and then preparing for the final.
O'Keefe has benefited from turning professional and, given the opposition she will face in two days' time, her national record of 73.21 metres will again be threatened.
She said: "I've just been a full-time athlete since June and it has made a difference being able to train twice a day and get more time to recover. Getting a silver at the World University Games (earlier this month in Beijing) gave me more more belief."
The Jim Kilty-coached athlete is sensibly not talking about winning medals, but rather making progress after giving up her job as a nurse to pursue a sporting career.
O'Keefe, 26, winner of this summer's European Cup First League title, added: "I will definitely give it my all in the final and be in top eight and get close to the PB."
The opposition will be awesome, including former world champion champion and favourite Yipsi Moreno who led the qualifying leader board with 72.87m.
The Cuban, who has lost just one of 12 competitions this year and won last month's Pan American Games title, said: "I will be ready for 75 or more and that should give me the podium."
O'Keefe herself thinks otherwise, insisting: "I can see that 76m will probably take first place."