Adam Kirk-Smith achieves NI Commonwealths steeplechase standard in Belgium

Kirk-Smith achieved the Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase consideration standard in Ghent

Steeplechaser Adam Kirk-Smith has become the seventh Northern Ireland athlete to achieve a Commonwealth Games consideration standard.

The Lisburn man's time of eight minutes, 37.62 seconds in Belgium on Saturday cut nine seconds off his personal best set a week earlier.

Smith's time was also over five seconds inside the Commonwealth Games mark.

Ciara Mageean, meanwhile, had to settle for seventh place over 800m in 2:03.12 at the same meeting in Ghent.

Mageean's time in her outdoor season's opener left her three seconds behind British winner Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and was some way outside her personal best for the distance set last year.

Also in Ghent, 400m hurdles Christine McMahon and Jason Harvey were outside Commonwealth Games consideration standards despite producing season's bests.

McMahon clocked 58.31 seconds but the Gold Coast standard of 57.30 should be well within her compass over the coming weeks and months.

Harvey crossed the line in 51.22 in the men's event and needs 50.15 to have a chance of being on the plane for Australia.

Letterkenny man Danny Mooney showed that he will challenge to earn another Commonwealth Games vest as he clocked 3:42.74 for 1500m in Belgium.

Athletics Northern Ireland's 1500m Commonwealth Games consideration standard is 3:41.10.

Meanwhile, Stephen Scullion and Emma Mitchell both produced fine performances at Sunday's Great Manchester Run.

Scullion clocked 29 minutes and 25 seconds to take fifth in the men's event, which left him six places and 19 seconds ahead of another Irishman Mick Clohisey.

In-form Mitchell, meanwhile, was sixth in the women's race in 34 minutes and 31 seconds.

Queen's athlete Mitchell achieved the Commonwealth Games 10,000m consideration standard in London last weekend as she set her second Northern Ireland record in a week by breaking Teresa Duffy's mark.

Mitchell also bettered Duffy's 5,000m mark the previous week.