Thomas Barr withdraws from 400m hurdle semi-finals at the World Championships

Barr began feeling unwell shortly after qualifying from the heats on Sunday.

Thomas Barr has withdrawn from the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles at the World Championships because of illness.

The Waterford runner was due to compete in the first of tonight's semi-finals in London but he is unable to take his place because of a vomiting bug.

He narrowly qualified for the semi-finals after Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands was disqualified from his heat on Sunday.

Barr, 25, was hoping to improve on his fourth place finish at Rio 2016.

"I'm gutted to have to withdraw from today's semi final," Barr said.

"I wasn't feeling great yesterday evening and later in the night I was hit with a bad bout of gastroenteritis."

"My whole year has been focused on the World Championships. The support yesterday was just brilliant and to not be able to go out and compete today for Ireland is beyond disappointing."