Derek Malone’s performance in finishing 2nd in the 400m semi final at the IPC Indoor World athletics championships in snow bound Bollnas, Swedan today. It was the uplift that the small Irish team needed as the three day track and field spectacular got under way. Malone’s time after a closely fought combined 36,38 class race -time 56.72 secs. behind Russian Valeriy Stepanskoy 56.30 secs, allows him the luxury of a favourite lane draw in tomorrows final. The Clare man, a bronze medal winner in the Athens Paralympics, returned ten days ago from a period of altitude/warm weather training in South Africa and looks forward to tomorrows 400m final and 800m on Sunday as a real medal prospect Other Irish performances today included a 5th place finish from Dublin’s Trevor Dunn in the men’s combined Class 35,36,37,38 Shot Putt with a best of 10.15m, Trevor also ran 9.18 secs in the 60m.Michael Delaney, Dublin, 8.22secs. in the 60m Class 12, was also noteworthy. Tomorrow the following Irish will be in action. Michael Delaney, F 12 High Jump,Derek Malone, T36/38400m final,James McCarthy F57 Shot, Jason Smyth,T12 60m, and Roy Guerin,T 53 60m