David Gillick got his bid for the European 400 metres title off to a solid start in Barcelona yesterday.

DAVID GILLICK put down a marker when he cruised up the home straight to win yesterday’s first round heat of the men’s 400m at the Olympic Stadium in 45.84 secs.

Three Irish athletes failed to qualify for the finals of the Women’s 400m hurdles event at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona today.

COACH Nick Dakin is looking for a winning performance from David Gillick in this morning’s first-round heats of the 400m at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona to ensure a good lane draw for the semi-finals.

HOMETOWN favourite Derval O’Rourke is set to line out at the Cork City sports tomorrow, after overcoming injury concerns in Thessalonika on Wednesday night, according to her coach, Sean Cahill.

Team manager Patsy McGonagle hailed the efforts of Ireland's top track and field stars as they finished a very credible eighth in the European Team Championships 1st League event in Budapest.

LISBURN’s Ciara Mageean has put Irish women’s middle distance running back on the map with a silver medal yesterday in the World Youth Championships 800m final in Sudtirol, Italy.

DAVID GILLICK’S hopes of making history by winning a third successive 400 metres title at the European Indoor Championships collapsed in his semi-final yesterday.

Athletics Ireland has announced a 12-strong team to compete at the European Indoor Track and Field Championships in Turin, Italy next month.

ROISÍN McGETTIGAN, who broke one of Sonia O’Sullivan’s old records when she finished fourth in the Reebok Women’s Mile at the Boston indoor meeting on Saturday, has been included in the Irish team for next month’s European Indoor Championships in Turin.

IRISH paralympian Jason Smyth has the talent to compete in the London Olympics, his coach, Stephen Maguire, claimed last night.

PAUL HESSION singled out Brendan Christian (Antigua & Barbuda) as the favourite to win the race before he went to the line for last evening’s 200m at the Bislett Games Golden League meeting in Oslo and then went on to challenge him for the lead coming off the bend.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN and Olive Loughnane will compete in the Gran Permio de La Coruna in Spain at the weekend - both with Beijing on their minds.

IRISH 4x400m relay teams begin their quests for Olympic qualification next month.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN launched his Olympic year with a sensational new national record for the 5k walk at the Woodies DIY Indoor Championships of Ireland at the Odyssey Arena at the weekend.

Gala All-Ireland champions Wexford dominate the nominations for this year’s Energise Sport Camogie All-Stars with 11 in contention for awards.

TOP athletics coach Jim Kielty played a key role in helping Wexford capture the Gala All-Ireland senior camogie title against Cork in Croke Park.

AFTER some spectacular performances on the road over the past three months, racewalker Robert Heffernan (Togher AC) returns to the track on Friday night when he will compete in a 5k event at the Grand Prix meeting in Lille.

ALISTAIR CRAGG has his sights set firmly on the European Indoor Championships in Birmingham on March 2/3/4, when he will defend his 3,000m title.