Sutherland adds to Ireland tally

Darren Sutherland had a convincing win over Alfonso Blanco Parra

Darren Sutherland secured Ireland's third boxing medal at the Beijing Olympics by beating world silver medallist Alfonso Blanco Parra.

Sutherland had a superb 11-1 success over the Venezuelan welterweight to join fellow countrymen Paddy Barnes and Ken Egan in the Olympic semi-finals.

Assured of at least a bronze medal, Sutherland from Dublin will now fight Britain's James DeGale on Friday.

DeGale beat Kazakhstan's Bakhtiyar Artayev, the reigning Olumpic champion.

On the track, Alistair Cragg is through to the next round of the 5000 metres, having come sixth in the opening heat in 13 minutes, 38.57 seconds.

It was the fastest of the three races so Cragg was actually the sixth best of the qualifiers.

Thomas Chamney was fifth in his 800 metres heat but did not go through.

The 24-year-old from Clonmel had a time of one minute, 47.66 seconds.