John Travers runs an Irish first and Thomas Barr impresses at the AIT International Grand Prix in Athlone, Ireland on Wednesday (February 21).

In the final track event of the night in Athlone, John Travers became the first Irishman to run a sub four-minute mile indoors in Ireland.

The 26-year-old crossed the line in 3:59.40 to finish third in the mile race won by Australia’s Ryan Gregson in 3:57.86, with Poland’s Grzegorz Kalinowski second in a personal best 3:59.19.

It has been a busy seven days for the Donore Harrier, who last Thursday ran a 5k road personal best 14:16 at the Armagh 5k, before successfully retaining his Irish 3000m indoor title on Sunday.

Travers has run quicker before indoors with a 3:58.10 best and outdoor best 3:55.44 from 2014.

Earlier in the night, Olympian hurdler Thomas Barr won the 400m flat race in 46.94.

The 25-year-old showed he had the kick to overcome Portugal’s Victor-Ricardo Dos Santos down the home straight, who had to settle for second, with British athlete Seb Rodger finishing third.

Barr, who competed over 200m at the Irish Indoor Championships on Sunday, will now turn his focus to the outdoors with the European Championships his goal this summer.

Mark English had an impressive run in the 800m, finishing second in 1:47.48 just behind Spaniard Kevin Lopez with 1.47:43.

In the women’s 1500m, recently crowned Irish 1500m champion Emma Mitchell recorded an indoor personal best. Mitchell finished fourth in 4:14.54 with the race won by Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui in 4:10.63.