ATHLETICS: The old Olympic Stadium in Helsinki is barely recognisable from this week 22 years ago when Eamonn Coghlan famously won the 5,000 metres at the first World Athletics Championship, writes Ian O'Riordan in Helsinki.

There's a new roof, a new Mondo track, and only the retro exterior gives the place its sense of grand history

Such a makeover is symbolic of how times have changed in athletics. Coghlan's victory here in 1983, when he boldly eased past Russia's Dmitriy Dmitriyev around the final bend, now represents a whole different era in the sport. With the sole exception of Britain's Paula Radcliffe, no European athlete is expected to make an impact in the distance races over the next nine days.

There's a record 209 countries competing, compared to 153 in Coghlan's day, including the numerous Gulf states now fuelled by deserting Kenyan talent.

There's also more than $5 million in prize money (Coghlan had to be content with his medal). But unlike 1983, no Irish athlete is expected to make an impact this time around.

Coghlan's victory wasn't wildly predicted, but 22 years on it's about trying to predict finalists. Eleven Irish athletes have made the trip, and if even one of them makes a final they'll be doing very, very well.

Still, this old stadium has been good to the Irish. Sonia O'Sullivan won her first major title here in 1994 in a memorable European Championships, and the Finnish enthusiasm for the sport can't but bring out the best in them.

And the four Irish athletes in action in today's opening sessions will definitely be looking for some inspiration in order to make the impact they desire.

James Nolan arrived at the stadium yesterday evening to discover he'd been drawn in probably the toughest 1,500 metres heat. With 10 of the other 12 starters holding faster times this season, including former medallists Reyes Estevez of Spain and Ivan Heshko of the Ukraine, Nolan will have to produce the race of his life to take one of the five guaranteed qualifying places.

Another nine fastest losers progress, and as Nolan goes in the last heat at least he'll know exactly what needs to be done: ensure the race is fast.

That event is denied the presence of defending champion Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, whose Athens Olympic hangover is still lingering. But there are 36 other winners from Athens in town this week, including America's Justin Gatlin in the 100 metres, which suggests these championships could buck the trend of a downturn in post-Olympic year.

The women's 3,000 metres steeplechase will definitely produce a new champion, as it's being staged at this level for the first time. Róisín McGettigan goes in the first of two heats this morning holding the fifth-fastest time this season of the 12 starters, and with three to qualify plus six fastest losers her chances look good.

Robert Heffernan has 20km of the Helsinki streets to walk later this afternoon, and after glancing through the list of 43 starters he'll know every place will be fought for. His season's best of one hour, 24 minutes and 20 seconds ranks him only 37th, but he'll want to finish higher than that.

That leaves Marie Davenport concluding the Irish interest on the opening day in the women's 10,000 metres. That's the race guaranteed to give the championships a dramatic start for the simple reason that Paula Radcliffe is involved.

Radcliffe only deals in the extraordinary, whether it's breaking a world record (the women's marathon), or finishing fourth (her championships of 1997 and 2001) or not finishing at all (in Athens last year).

Her decision to run the 10,000 metres this evening and also the marathon on Sunday week has been the main talking point in the bars and cafes of Helsinki, and the consensus is she's making a mistake.

"My focus is on the marathon," she claims, "and running the 10,000 metres beforehand fits in perfectly with my preparations. I have never said I was doubling up for both titles."

Yet Radcliffe wouldn't be lining up for the 10,000 metres unless she felt she could win. She has the fastest time in the field with her 30:01.09, but that was three years ago, and she hasn't raced the 10,000 metres this season. It's hard to imagine how she can run away from Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba, who recently ran 30:15.67 in Sweden in the lashing rain. If it comes down to a last-lap sprint, Dibaba is the only one who can win.

If Radcliffe does pull it off she'll be halfway to joining the all-time greats of the sport, even the likes of Paavo Nurmi and Emil Zatopek, whose names are still associated with this stadium.

But then that was an era even Coghlan couldn't relate to.