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Colin Griffin in action at the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu (file photo). ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Dream on: Colin Griffin qualifies for Olympic 50km walk

Ballinamore’s Colin Griffin became Ireland’s 18th athletics qualifier for London 2012 this morning.

Updated 14.30

COLIN GRIFFIN PUT his Olympic qualification ghosts to bed at the IAAF World Cup of Race Walking in Saransk, Russia this morning.

The Ballinamore native finished 15th in the men’s 50km walk, comfortably inside the “A” standard with a time of 3:52:54.

Griffin received two red cards inside the opening 10 kilometres of the final Olympic qualifier, leaving him one slip away from another devastating disqualification.

But the 29-year-old kept his composure in testing conditions to become Ireland’s 18th athletics qualifier for London 2012, the highest number ever.

Afterwards Griffin, who was disqualified in Slovakia in March when on course to crack the “A” standard of 3:59:00, tweeted his delight.

There was disappointment for two other Olympic hopefuls, Jamie Costin and Michael Doyle, both of whom were unable to finish the race.

In the women’s 20km, Olive Loughnane put in a confidence-boosting performance to finish eighth in a season’s best time of 1:31:32. Laura Reynolds faded late on to finish 35th in 1:37:06, well outside her best of 1:34:42.

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8 Comments
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    Mute Conor Conneally
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    May 13th 2012, 12:08 PM

    fair play to him. Best of luck in London!

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    Mute David Walsh
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    May 13th 2012, 12:46 PM

    Good man colin lets hope you’ll walk it !!!

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    Mute Michael McTague
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    May 13th 2012, 1:01 PM

    Not sure why people would red thumb Connors comment above ? Jealousy ? Stupidity ? Or nothing better to do. We should all be proud of every irish athlete that takes part in these and every Olympics it’s a wonderful achievement to just take part.

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    Mute Choooon
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    May 13th 2012, 1:33 PM

    Don’t get hung up on red thumbs! ;-)

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    Mute Dara Cromwell
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    May 13th 2012, 2:25 PM

    It’s easy to hit red thumb by accident on the iPhone when scrolling. You can’t undo it then. I’m left handed so it works much better… :-)

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    Mute Paul Whelan
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    May 13th 2012, 1:07 PM

    I thought I did well doing a sub 4 hour marathon. He walked 8km further in a shorter time!

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    Mute Choooon
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    May 13th 2012, 1:37 PM

    You did do well; judge each one on its own merits! ;-)

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    Mute caroline keary
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    May 13th 2012, 12:52 PM

    Hope olive does well also

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