Andrew Coscoran and Paul Robinson gave the Irish team an encouraging start to the European Indoor Athletics Championships.
Both progressed to the men's 1500m final after impressive showings in their respective heats.
Coscoran continued a fine spring in which he's twice beaten his indoor 1500m personal best by running a time of 3:39.00 to finish just behind automatic qualifiers Ignacio Fontes of Spain, and Great Britain's Piers Copeland.
While Coscoran waited anxiously to see if he'd done enough to qualify, Robinson ran a time just over a second slower than that of his teammate in a competitive heat-4.
The audible Robinson screams in Toruń confirm that both he and Coscoran roll on to tomorrow’s final 🙌🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/fEz8jclCpR
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) March 4, 2021
He followed Poland's Marcin Lewandowski and the Czech Filip Sasinek over the line.
News that they's both made Friday's final were met with screams of joy from the compatriots.
There was a respectable showing on his senior debut for Luke McCann, who ran a time of 3:41.25 in placing fifth in his 1500m heat.
And there was disappointment for Leevale's Michelle Finn.
She'll go no further in the women's 3000m, having come home ninth in her heat, in a time of 9:05.44.
Friday in Torun will be busy, as far as Irish athletes are concerned.
Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, and Sharlene Mawdsley compete in the heats of the women's 400m from 10.22am Irish time.
Nadia Power and Siofra Cleirigh Buttner will look to continue their Irish record-breaking exploits in the women's 800m heats, along with Georgia Hartigan from midday.
Irish 800m record holder Mark English goes in the heats tomorrow along with Cian McPhillips and John Fitzsimons.
While Coscoran and Robinson's 1500m final is at 8.35pm.
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