McKee hit by Olympics relay blow

Paul McKee is hoping to secure a place at the Oympics in Beijing

The Irish men's 4x400m relay squad's hopes of making the Olympics suffered a blow when their scheduled run in Spain on Wednesday evening was abandoned.

Belfast's Paul McKee was on his way to the airport on Monday when he got news that the relay event had been scrubbed from the meeting in Salamanca.

"It is disappointing as we are only .10secs outside the time that we need to qualify at the moment," said McKee.

"That may have been our last chance but we may try and get a race elsewhere."

McKee will still run the individual 400m in Spain on Wednesday as he continues to chase the Olympic individual 'A' standard of 45.55.

He will then stay on in Spain for another 400m outing in Madrid at the weekend.