IRELAND are reportedly hoping to lodge an appeal that could throw Thomas Barr an Olympic lifeline.
Waterford runner Barr maddeningly missed out on a place in the 400m Hurdles Final, despite recording a season’s best time in his semi-final.
But according to the Irish Examiner, the Irish delegation are planning to appeal over potential infractions by two athletes in on of the other two semi-finals.
The breaches are reportedly a lane infringement and ‘hooking’, where the hurdler’s trail leg swings around the hurdle instead of going over it.
Frustration for Barr
Barr finished fourth in the first of today’s heats in an impressive 48.26, his second-fastest time, despite hitting a hurdle on the final bend.
With only the two fastest in each heat guaranteed to progress, Barr had to hope no one outside the top two in the last two semi-finals bettered his time.
That would have ensured Barr sealed a spot in the final as one of the two best runners up.
However in the second heat, Italian Allesandro Sibilio finished third in 47.93, taking Barr's place as the second best runner up and apparently extinguishing the Irishman’s hopes.
However Barr, whose time was the joint-seventh fastest overall, could yet earn a place in Tuesday’s final if the technical officials feel Ireland have grounds for appeal.
Frustratingly, Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands won the third semi-final in exactly the same time as Barr, with second-place Rasmus Magi of Estonia qualifying after clocking in at 48.36.
