A SMALL number of Irish athletes will feel their prospects of qualifying for the London Olympics next year have been improved after the IAAF yesterday announced amended standards for some events.

The amendments are small but they could make the difference between making the Irish team and not making the Games at all.

For example in the men’s 400 metres, which is a strong Irish event, the A standard has been eased from 45.25 to 45.30 seconds while the B mark has been eased from 45.70 to 45.90 seconds.

In all amendments have been made in six events, the A marks for the men’s and women’s 400m, the women’s 5,000m, 400m hurdles, shot putt and for the A mark in the javelin.

The decision to make these changes by the technical committee were made arising out of the performances at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, last August and were made to make sure the correct number of athletes would be present for these events in London.

What the IAAF did not want would be for an insufficient number of athletes not reaching the standards and thus adjustments having to be made for the programme of events.

No Irish athlete has so far achieved the A standard in any of these events although one anticipates David Gillick, who holds Irish record at 44.77, will get inside the required 45.30.

He had a poor enough season, not helped because of the problems he encountered after moving his training base form Loughborough to Florida. Brian Gregan was the fastest Irishman during the summer with 45.96 and he will fancy his chances of getting the necessary 45.30 and similarly with Joanne Cuddihy in the women’s event where she came very close to the standard (51.55) after recording 51.82 in Daegu.

Jessie Barr of Waterford made such improvement in the summer in the 400m hurdles when clocking 56.62 that she will feel she is capable of getting the necessary 55.50.

Irish athletes have pretty much become accustomed to the fact only A standards will be accepted for London and so far several athletes have achieved the mark.