The Irish women's 4 x 400m relay team comprised of Karen Shinkins, Ciara Sheehy, Michelle Carey, and Joanne Cuddihy ran 3.34.61 to place 5th in the first of two qualifying heats. It concluded a fruitless championship for the Irish women's sprint squad which saw no athlete survive a preliminary round.

Maria McCambridge had a superb run to advance to today's 3,000m final. Whilst the race was the slowest ever 3,000 staged in a world Championships final, but the final 400 metres was a competitive exhibition. Defending silver medallist Marta Dominguez led the mile and a half, albeit at a record-setting snail's pace. The pack of hits split befitting a schoolgirl rather than an Olympian crossing 800m in 2.40! At this level no one wants to be the sacrificial rabbit and everyone thinks they can kick.

After 12 laps of athletics chicken, Brit Jo Pavey burst out with an Ethiopian escort consisting of Berhane Adere and Meseret Defar. Adere, the reigning World Outdoor 10,000m Gold Medallist, took the lead at the bell with her compatriot Defar in tow. Adere had the lead on the final bend but the shorter Defar make up ground on the shortest of straight-aways pipping Adere by .21. American Shayne Culpepper edged Domínguez for the final medal.

McCambridge, who had a dismal 2003, has started 2004 quite well placing 9th in 9:14.72. The time may look slow but it was a mere 2.57 seconds away from the bronze medal. McCambridge is not known as a sprinter but her strength kept her in a race that turned out to be a 2.5 kilometre warm-up followed by a frantic 500m sprint to the finish.

The Irish men's 4x400m relay team took the bronze medal in an eventful final in Budapest today. Running a National Record of 3.08.83 to finish 4th in their heat and qualify for the final, the team of Rob Daly, Gary Ryan, David Gillick and David McCarthy kept their heads when it mattered and safely navigated past falling opponents and flying batons to bring home an historic medal.

Following a fall by the Bahamas team early in the race, the Irish team anchored by David McCarthy crossed the line in 4th place in a time of 3.10.44 but the Americans, who had dropped the baton before retrieving it and finishing 3rd, were adjudged to have not made a legal exchange and were disqualified. Thanks to AAI's Pierce O'Callaghan his report on the men's relay.

Complete Results for the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships