ANDREW HITS A HOME RUN

ANDREW COSCORAN has vowed not to leave anything out there in today's 1,500m World Athletics Championship final in Tokyo (2.20pm Irish time).

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

“I think I can run well in the final, it's new territory for me but I'll go in there and give it socks.”

That's what Longford’s Cian McPhillips did in the 800m heats yesterday in beating Bryce Hoppel of the US and Australian national record holder Peter Bol to secure his place in tomorrow's semifinals.

The 23-year-old was after a top-three finish to gain automatic qualification and got his tactics spot on, keeping tabs on Bol throughout before beating Trice Taylor of Jamaica on the outside and sprinting clear to comfortably win in 1.44.91.

McPhillips is aiming for a PB in the semifinals tomorrow after everything clicked. “Thankfully it all worked out and hopefully I can get a refresh now and get a good PB in the semis, that would be ideal,” said the Longford athlete.

“I had an inkling it was coming, Delighted with that, it's a huge confidence-booster.”

Mark English was among the favourites to qualify from the fifth heat and duly did so, finishing in third after easing up before the line with the job done.