Katie Kirk finishes seventh in 800m at New York meeting

Katie Kirk [left] narrowly missed out on a place in last year's Commonwealth Games 800m final

Katie Kirk had to settle for a seventh-place in finish in a high-class 800m outing in New York on Saturday night.

The Northern Ireland woman clocked 2:06.23 which was just under three seconds outside her indoors personal best for the distance set last year.

Last year's world leader American Ajee Wilson took victory in 2:01.63.

Ireland's men's quartet broke the old world distance medley relay record as they finished second behind a USA squad at the Armory Invitational meeting.

The Irish team of Declan Murray, Brian Gregan, Letterkenny man Mark English and Ciaran O'Lionaird clocked 9:25.37 which was .60secs inside the previous mark for the rarely run event set by a University of Texas squad in 2008.

The American squad of Mike Berry, Erik Sowinski, Matthew Centrowitz and Patrick Casey finished over five seconds ahead of the Irish as they improved the world best to 9:19.93.

Ireland's John Coghlan finished seventh in the men's mile in 4:02.72 in a race won by Canadian Cam Levins in 3:54.74.

Levins finished over two seconds ahead of Britain's Chris O'Hare (3:57.26) and the Canadian went on to beat Galen Rupp in the two-mile race 30 minutes later.

In the women's 800m, Wilson came in just ahead of Treniere Moser (2:01.79) with another American talent Mary Cain having to settle for fifth in 2:02.75.

Kirk will compete in another indoor meeting in Boston next weekend.

On Sunday, Letterkenny athlete Danny Mooney achieved the European Indoor Championship 1500m standard as he improved his personal best to 3:42.69 when winning the event at the AAI Games in Athlone.

Mooney's time was .31secs inside the qualifying mark for the championships which take place from 6-8 March in Prague.

Ciara Everald also achieved the women's 800m standard for the Prague championships as she won in Athlone in 2:03.39 with Newry woman Aislinn Crossey taking third in 2:09.76.