IAAF announce qualification standards for 2016 Olympics in Rio..

The entry standards for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games have been approved by the IAAF, the world governing body for athletics. They have abolished the old 'A' and 'B' standards and there is now just one.

* 50km walk...men only
*IWR = IAAF World Relays

One standard to watch out for is that of the marathon. For the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the mens standard was 2:15 and womans was 2:37. In the run up to that Olympics, only one Irish man qualified but there was some controversy in the womens selection as four had qualified but only three could be sent.

2012 World Championships.....In another development today, the IAAF announced that the 2021 World Championships would be held in Eugene, Oregon and it would be bypassing the normal bidding process. IAAF chief Lamine Diack said the decision was taken "in the interest of the global development of our sport". The sports brand Nike also has strong connections to the town.