Ireland’s mixed doubles badminton pair of Chloe and Sam Magee have given themselves a lifeline in their final group match at the European Games in Minsk.
Having already won one and lost one in group, they needed to beat home Belarussian duo Aliaksei Konakg and Krestina Silich to have a chance of reaching the quarter-finals at the Falcon Club.
The Magee siblings came through their must-win encounter with a 21-9 21-11 triumph, wrapped up rather quickly over the home partnership.
But with two teams coming out of their four-team group, their fate is not entirely in their own hands.
Fourth seeds Delphine Delrue and Thom Gicquel play Russia’s Evgenii Dremin and Evgenia Dimova later this morning, with a French win sending the Irish pair through along with them.
A Russian win though would be a three-way tie between France, Ireland and Russia, meaning it would go to points difference.
At the moment, Ireland are three better off than Dremin and Dimova, having beaten them in a tense three-setter on Tuesday.
The knockout stages begin in the men’s singles later this morning, with Ireland's Nhat Nguyen paying British eighth seed Toby Penty, winner of last year’s Belgian International.
Jenny Egan
Jenny Egan has come home eighth in the non-medal B Final of the women’s K1 500m in canoe sprint, meaning she is ranked 17th overall in the competition.
Egan also faces in the K1 200m B Final at midday Irish time, followed by the full A Final of the K1 5000m, at 2pm Irish time.
Teammate Ronan Foley competes in the equivalent men’s final.
The 19-year-old from the Salmon Leap Canoe Club begins his medal race at 2:30pm Irish time.
Track cycling action also begins this afternoon, with Lydia Boylan competing in the women’s points race at 5.30pm, preceded by qualifying in the women’s team pursuit alongside Mia Griffin, Lydia Gurley and Orla Walsh.
Felix English goes in the men’s scratch final at 6.15pm at the Minsk Arena.
The Irish gymnastics campaign also commences today, with Emma Slevin competing in the women’s all-around final, and Adam Steele in the men’s all-around.
