Will Downing, Berlin
Ciara Mageean has finished fourth in the women’s 1500m final at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Mageean was involved in a three-way battle for silver and bronze as Laura Muir was well clear to claim her first major outdoor Championship medal.
Muir took the lead after 500 metres and made a big push from there, stretching out the field, with Laura Weightman second.
Mageean was fighting throughout with Sofia Ennaoui in third and fourth, and with Weightman tiring in the final 75 metres, Mageean looked in position for a medal.
Ennaoui managed to overtake Weightman, but Mageean could not, coming home fourth in 4:04.63.
Muir’s winning time was 4:02.32, with Ennaoui on 4:03.08 and Weightman 4:03.75.
Earlier this evening, Ireland have set a new national record in the women's 4x100m relay - but narrowly missed out on the final.
Gina Akpe-Moses, Phil Healy, Joan Healy and Ciara Neville of Ireland after competing in the Women's 4x100m Relay. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
The Irish quartet of Joan Healy, Phil Healy, Ciara Neville and Gina Akpe-Moses finished fourth in 43.80 seconds, being edged out of the final automatic qualifying place of third by Italy, whose anchor Audrey Alloh just reeled in Akpe-Moses at the death.
Italy squeezed through in 43.74.
Germany and Switzerland took the top two positions, with Poland and Spain going through as fastest losers from the first semi.
Ireland's previous national record was 43.84 from the 2014 Europeans in Zurich, and tonight's new national record is the fastest time to not qualify for a European final in the history of the Championships' 4x100m.
