Irish 400m metre record holder Paul McKee had to settle for second place behind Gary Ryan in the big event of the second day at the Irish Indoor Championships in the Odyssey Arena.

Beforehand, the men's 200m had looked like a mouthwatering prospect with Olympic silver medallist Darren Campbell plus other Irish internationals Gary Ryan and Paul Brizzel in the entry.

However, Campbell and Brizzel both pulled out of the final are experiencing varying difficulties in the qualifiers.

British star Campbell found the Odyssey bends too tight and opted out after winning his semi-final.

Campbell very nearly came to grief on the top bend of his first round heat and after winning his semi-final in 21.34, said that he was worried about picking up an injury.

Stockholm race

Brizzel complained of a muscle twinge after his opening heat and pulled out of the final after clocking exactly the same time as Campbell in his semi-final.

Ryan's final winning time (21.21) was exactly the same championship record mark which McKee had clocked in his semi-final.

The Belfastman said afterwards that he had felt cramp in his calf muscle in the final and was disappointed that he had hadn't run faster than 21.28.

He runs over 400m at Stockholm on Tuesday where his rivals will include British star Jamie Baulch and Spain's David Canal.

Ryan was delighted at winning his sixth Irish Indoor Championships although he was slightly aggrieved at narrowly missing the World Championship standard (21.15) again.

Brizzel: Pulled out of 200m final

North Down athlete Eva Massey added 58 centimetres to her existing Northern Ireland shot putt record with a throw of 16.32m to take gold.

Mid-Ulster's Paul Tohill won the men's 60H in 8.21 seconds just ahead of Strabane athlete Trevor McGlynn who clocked 8.28.

Donegalman Gary Murray, second in Saturday's 3000m, produced a personal best to take the 1500m in 3:47.95.

Murray led all the way and his performance yet again emphasised the improvement that the John Morrin-coached athlete has made in recent times.

Carlow athlete Geraldine Hendricken displayed superb front-running to win the women's metric mile in 4:12.50.

Second-placed Maria Lynch (4:15.50), winner of the 3000m on Saturday, also ducked under the World Indoor Championship standard.

However, Hendricken won't compete in Birmingham as she is planning to race at the World Cross Country Championships in Lausanne.

Ciara Sheehy: Another championship record

In the 800m finals, Ballymena & Antrim youngster Elizabeth McWilliams (2:10.20) and Richard Girvan (1:55.88) both picked up bronze medals behind winners Brendan O'Shea (1:55.00) and Aoife Byrne (2:06.98).

Tamsin Stephens (8.55) was pipped by her Irish rival Derval O'Rourke (8.25) in the women's 60H.

O'Rourke is one of eight Irish athletes who have achieved qualifying marks for the World Indoor Championships.

Abbey AC's Elaine McCaffrey (58.86) won bronze in the women's 400m while her clubmate Alan Saulters (14.29m) earned silver in the men's triple jump.

In terms of other impressive performances, Ciara Sheehy, another qualifier for the World Indoors, achieved her second championship best of the weekend when winning the 200m in 23.72.

David McCarthy won the men's 400m final in 47.08 but was a frustrating .18 outside the World Indoor Championship qualifying time.

Around 2,000 spectators watched the weekend action as the Odyssey Arena opened its doors to athletics for the first time.