THERE was confirmation from the national team director, Alasdair MacLennan, at FIC headquarters in Dublin yesterday that Declan Lonergan and Philip Collins have qualified for the world track championships at Manchester from August 28th to September 1st.

At the world events in Colombia last year, the American based Lonergan and Collins, who has been racing with the Irish Heritage Club in Manchester, qualified for the Olympic 40 kilometres points race on the track and the 4,000 metres pursuit at Atlanta and these are the events they will also be taking part in at Manchester.

This year, for the first time, riders had to qualify for the world championships in the World Cup events and Lonergan was successful in the points race on the programme in Cuba while sufficient points were also accumulated to ensure qualification for Collins.

Collins, who has finished eighth in the British pursuit and 25 miles time trial championships this season, is due to leave next Monday with MacLennan to join up with Lonergan and complete their preparation for the Olympic events.