Ireland's David Gillick has been drawn in the same 400 metres heat as reigning Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner of the USA.
Although the Texan is the man to beat in Beijing, Gillick will be confident of progressing out of heat seven tomorrow which is at 2.48am Irish time.
The two-time European Indoor champion will race out of lane four with Wariner likely to set the pace out of lane nine.
Going on 2008 form, Gillick's season's best of 45.12 ranks him second fastest in the heat behind Wariner (43.86). Belgium's Cedric van Branteghem (45.13) is the other probable qualifier.
The first three athletes home in each heat will qualify automatically for Tuesday's three semi-finals , plus the three fastest losers overall.
Gillick was a semi-finalist at last year's World Championships in Osaka, where he also raced Wariner.
The Ballinteer man, a first-time Olympian, insists he will not be overawed by the occasion or the opposition.
‘My sports psychologist (Enda McNulty) has been great in getting me ready for the Olympics and just the grand scale of the event,’ he said.
‘Mentally and physically, I feel I'm really ready for it.
‘The competition is going to be fierce but this is where you want to be, performing at the highest level and hopefully I can break that 45-second barrier.’
