Chris O'Donnell set to compete in 400m at World Athletics Championships

Chris O'Donnell has been invited to compete in the 400m at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The 25-year-old had previously been confirmed as a member of the 4x400m mixed relay squad and had been provisionally selected in the individual 400m pending confirmation of his qualification, but received an invite to compete in the individual event on Sunday morning.

O’Donnell won his fifth national 400m title in six years at last weekend’s National Senior Track and Field Championships in Santry and set a season’s best of 45.73 last month in Madrid.

The Sligo man featured on the mixed relay teams that made the finals of both the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and last year’s World Championships.

Meanwhile, Kate O’Connor (heptathlon) and Nick Griggs (1500m) were drafted into the Ireland team on Saturday evening. There are now 24 athletes confirmed, the largest selected for a World Championships.

Thomas Barr was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury in training while Phil Healy pulled out in order to recover "mentally and physically" for next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

The World Championships take place from 19-27 August.