It the end, he genuinely could not have come any closer and within reason could not have done any more.
Barrmissed out by five-hundredths of a second behind bronze-medallist and European champion Yasmani Copello of Turkey
The Ferrybank AC and University Limerick athlete was helped by a false-start from London 2012 bronze-medallist Javier Culson of Puerto Rico on his inside lane – Culson being in lane 3, and Barr lane 4.
advertisement
Culson
immediately walked away from his blocks and broke into tears hunched at
the side of the track at the thought that his best ever chance of an
Olympic medal had gone.It was in fact, a quite blatant false start, and Culson didn’t need to wait to be shown the red card.
With the field down to seven, Barr held his own on the back straight, but as usual, the leaders pushed away marginally ahead of him – Clement, Tumuti, Copello and Annsert Whyte of Jamaica.
Only Clement and Whyte had been faster than Barr in the semi-finals, and all three would go faster again here.
Barr was uncomfortable going over the fourth-last hurdle, not quite as smooth as usual on the final bend, but his trademark surge in the closing straight, if anything, was better ever.
But the turn, Barr was fifth, behind Clement, Whyte, and the two Kenyans, Tumuti and Keoch.
Copello was bringing himself level with Barr alongside on the inside lane 2, with the Cuban Turkish declare overtaking Barr to move up to fifth, pushing the Dunmore East man to sixth.