Peter Coghlan, selected yesterday on the Irish team that will compete at the World Championships in Seville next month, broke the Irish record for the 110 metres hurdles in Crete last night.
Competing at the Chania meet, the Crusaders athlete clocked a time of 13.35 seconds when finishing second behind Tony Dees of the US who won in 13.23. Terry Reese, another American, finished third in 13.48.
Coghlan broke TJ Kerins's Irish record of 13.55 earlier this year at the European Cup meet in Lahti, Finland, when he recorded a time of 13.47. Last night's feat puts Coghlan amongst the fastest 20 hurdlers in the world this year.
European 200 metres champion Doug Walker was cleared of a doping charge yesterday - his 26th birthday. The Scot was acquitted by the disciplinary panel of UK Athletics, the sport's governing body in Britain.
Walker was suspended after traces of the banned anabolic steroid nandronlone were found in an out-of-competition test last December.
A brief statement issued by UK Athletics said: "The disciplinary committee met on July 26th and 27th in London to consider the charge that a doping offence had taken place as a result of a positive urine sample taken on December 1st, 1998.
"The committee, comprised of Ian Mill QC (chair), Prof Ron Maughan and Dr Mike Turner, has decided to dismiss these disciplinary proceedings."
