Dropped baton results in DNF for men's 4x100 relay team

There was huge disappointment for Ireland in the men's 4x100m heats where a dropped baton on the second exchange resulted in the team failing to finish.

Israel Olatunde, Mark Smyth, Colin Doyle and Joseph Ojewumi had aspirations of making the final either with a top-three finish in their heat, or as one of two fastest qualifiers, with the national record of 39.23 also within their sights.

Starting in lane two, Olatunde, who ran a new national record to finish sixth in the first ever appearance by an Irishman in the 100m final at a European Athletics Championships on Tuesday, was on the opening leg and blasted out of the blocks.

It was a clean handover to Smyth and the Raheny Shamrock man ran a fine leg, but with Ireland well positioned in the top three, the baton was dropped in the handover to Leevale's Doyle.

That ended their interest in the race, with Tallaght AC's Ojewumi unable to bring it home.

Great Britain won the heat in a time of 38.41, with Netherlands second and Switzerland third.

Watch live coverage of the of the European Championships on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player