Rooney and co achieve Olympic A standard with eased qualification figures

By Mike Rowbottom

December 8 - A group of 28 international athletes, including Britain's 400 metres runner Martyn Rooney (pictured) and Portugal's European cross country champion Jessica Augusto, received an early Christmas present today as a downward revision of selected qualification standards for London 2012 left them with unexpected A standard marks for the forthcoming Games.