Thomas Barr qualified for the IAAF World Championships 400 metre hurdle semi finals this afternoon with a slightly disappointing fourth-place finish in the first round of heats.
However, it looked like Barr would miss out on automatic qualification, as he originally finished in fifth place with a time of 49.79 seconds.
Virgin Island runner Kyron McMaster was disqualified for hooking one of the hurdles which meant the Waterford man was bumped up from fifth to fourth place and thus receiving an automatic spot in the semi finals.
Barr spoke with Athletics Ireland after the race:
Im disappointed with that race, I'm in good shape that wasnt a reprsetantion of where I am at, so Im hoping tomorrow I'll be able to give it a better shot.
I just misjudged my stride pattern a little bit and maybe a lapse in concentration, I messed up one hurdle and I didn't have the momentum coming off it then and going into the next one, and I had to stretch, and ended up taking the whole final straight on my non-preferred leg which is my right leg, my left leg was always much tidier and much more aggressive so I didn't have that trademark or strong finish at the end, but hopefully I will be able to work on that tomorrow.
Barr felt that if he had run a much tidier race, he could have finished with a time of 49.20, which would have been the 2nd fastest time run in all the 400m heats.
American, TJ Holmes finished in first place with a time of 49.35 seconds, Jamaican Jaheel Hyde in second with 49.72 seconds, with Algerian Abdelmalik Lahoulou finishing just ahead of Barr with 49.78 seconds in third.
The 400m hurdles semi finals are scheduled to take place on Monday at 20:20 and should he qualify for the final, that will take place on Wednesday at 21:30.
Watch Thomas Barr's post race interview with Athletics Ireland below:
Tom Barr on his fourth place finish in 49.79 and through to the semi-final pic.twitter.com/K3RJBtYB4u
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 6, 2017
