ATHLETICS:MARTIN FAGAN could be the first Irish athlete to secure a qualifying time for the World Championships in Daegu, Korea, next August when he runs Sunday's Houston Marathon – although he admits he only recently returned to full fitness following a lengthy period of injury and illness.

Still based in Flagstaff, Arizona, Fagan has struggled to maintain the sort of form that saw him clock 2:14.06 for the marathon in early 2008, which earned him qualification for the Beijing Olympics.

Since then he’s had to contend with a number of injuries, and more recently stomach complaints which seriously affected both his racing and recovery.

Then, late last year, he was diagnosed as suffering from celiac disease. Since he has adopted the necessary gluten-free diet, he has noticed a considerable difference.

“It had been getting more and more frustrating, not really knowing what the problem was,” he says, “so much so that I actually felt like quitting the sport altogether. But being told I was celiac and making the necessary changes to my diet has made all the difference, and I really feel like I can give the marathon a good shot again.”

However, he won’t be “biting off more than he can chew” on Sunday, and rather than try to improve his best of 2:14.06, is targeting the 2:16.00 qualifying time for Daegu.

Earlier this month Athletics Ireland confirmed the qualifying standards for Daegu, which exactly mirror the standards laid down by the IAAF, with one exception – the marathon.

While the IAAF standard is sub-2:17 for men and sub-2:43 for women, Athletics Ireland require the Irish men to run under 2:16 and the women under 2:38 – the idea being they are the likely qualifying times for the London Olympics.

Considering no Irish man broke 2:20 for the marathon in 2010 (Joe McAlister was fastest with his 2:21.05), Fagan remains the only likely Irish marathon qualifier for both Daegu and the London Olympics.

The standards for London are set for release in April, and should also mirror the qualifying standards for the World’s, which take place this summer from August 27th to September 4th.

Joe Sweeney is still harbouring longer-term marathon ambitions, but after an excellent opening to the cross country season will start as favourite in Sunday’s AXA Raheny five-mile road race, now in its 27th year.

Tallaght AC’s Seán Connolly is aiming for a hat-trick of successes, but Sweeney is clearly the man to beat this year.

Race entry is still open at rahenyshamrock.com until 6pm tomorrow, and then on race day up to 1.30pm ahead of the 3pm start.