Ó Lionaird and O’Rourke lead Irish charge for world medals in Istanbul

Leevale’s Ciarán Ó Lionaird and Derval O’Rourke spearhead Ireland’s hopes of medals at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey today knowing they will have to be in top form to compete with the best.

Ó Lionaird will continue his meteoric rise when he competes in the heats of the 1500m at 10:55am Irish time.

He has been competing well this indoor season having won a quality mile race at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston in 3:56.01 – a race in which he defeated training partner and world 5,000m champion Mo Farah. He subsequently lowered his mile time to 3:54.76 in Arkansas — the eighth fastest time in the world this year.

However, the Corkman recognises he will have to step it up to make an impact in Istanbul: “My preparations have gone very well and my goal is to do my fitness justice with a good execution of my race plan.

“Position will be very important and in my two mile races this indoor season I positioned myself very poorly. In Boston I got away with it but in Arkansas I was found out. I’ll need to improve my tactics big time.”

The first two in each heat qualify automatically for tomorrow’s final (5pm Irish time).

The last time Derval O’Rourke competed in these championships she came away with a historic gold medal in Moscow in 2006.

Despite winning her 11th National indoor 60m Hurdles title in Belfast in February her preparations have not gone smoothly.

Her season’s best currently stands at 8.16 – her p.b. is 7.84 which she ran in Moscow.

She has been hampered somewhat by a niggling foot injury but her coach Sean Cahill says she is fit and ready to go.

The women’s 60m hurdles heats are scheduled for 3pm Irish time with the semi-finals and final tomorrow.

Ireland’s only other representative is North Down AC’s Ben Reynolds who competes in the men’s 60m hurdles tomorrow.

This is the National U23 record holder’s first taste of a major international. China’s Liu Xiang is the favourite.

Stars to look out for in include the current darling of Track and Field, Jessica Ennis, in the pentathlon where she will bid to retain her title.

There could be world records in the women’s 60m hurdles and pole vault with Sally Pearson (Australia) and Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) in scintillating form.

There is nearly $2.5 million dollars in prize money at stake and the championships are being aired live on Channel 4 and British Eurosport.