Shinkins' medal hopes improve as heats cut

ATHLETICS: Karen Shinkins, one of Ireland's main medal hopes at the 27th European Indoor championships which start tomorrow in Vienna, has had her chances of reaching the final improved by the cancellation of the first-round heats of the 400 metres.

Although, overall the numbers competing will set a record - 600 athletes from 46 countries - Shinkins will now go in one of tomorrow's three semi-final rounds with the possibility of gaining straight progression into Sunday's final.

Shinkins briefly led the world rankings when she lowered her Irish indoor record to a stunning 51.58 seconds in the US earlier this month. Two athletes have since bettered her time - Russia's Natalya Antiukh (51.17) and Germany's Grit Breuer (51.49) - but only the Russian will compete in Vienna.

Apart from Antiukh, German Claudia Marx and Britain's Catherine Murphy will test Shinkins, but if the Newbridge athlete can get close to her best then a medal is clearly possible. She was fourth in the last championships in Ghent two years ago and is now a far more mature and confident athlete.

All but one of the 14 Irish entries start their events on tomorrow's opening day - Mark Howard in the 60-metre heats must wait till Saturday. Along with Shinkins, both Peter Coghlan and James Nolan will fancy their chances of at least getting to their finals - and possibly into the medals.

Coghlan goes in the heats of the 60 metre hurdles with a best this season of 7.65 seconds, and although that only ranks him ninth in Europe, championships bring out the best in him. Britain's Colin Jackson will be the overwhelming favourite.

There was a brief scare yesterday when it was discovered that Nolan's and Daniel Caulfield's entries were reversed and Nolan was down to run in the 800 metres rather than the 1,500 metres. Caulfield was forced to withdraw earlier this week through injury and the organisers have accepted Nolan's 1,500-metre entry. He will go in one of tomorrow's two semi-finals for a place in Saturday's final.

The UCD student, who won silver in Ghent last time out, could get into the medals. Three French and Spanish entries and Portugal's World Indoor champion Rui Silva will ensure a true race and Nolan can't afford to make the sort of tactical error that has cost him in the past.

"I'm ready to give it my best anyway," said Nolan, who was last week bothered by a hamstring injury but is now ready. "I'm quite happy with the way things have gone up to now and I know what it will take to win a medal here," he said.

Elsewhere, there will be strong interest in the first round of the men's 400 metres. David McCarthy (18), continued his remarkable progression by lowering the Irish senior record to 46.66 seconds last Sunday and is joined here by Robert Daly and Tomas Coman. Incredibly, Britain has no entry in the event, and an Irish finalist is again possible.

Ciarán McDonagh has regained his best form in the long jump but may still be a little out of his depth. Sarah Reilly and Ciara Sheehy will be looking to get beyond the heats of the 200 metres, with Gary Ryan and Tom Comyns going on the men's side. Derval O'Rourke (60-metre hurdles) and Deirdre Ryan (high jump) will need a break to make their finals.

Eurosport's coverage is now lost to many Irish TV viewers, but the BBC are providing limited coverage.