EUROPEAN silver medalist Derval O’Rourke last night launched a blistering attack on the treatment of elite athletics in this country.

DAVID GILLICK was one of the victims as last night’s 400m final turned the form book upside down and the lesser-known of the two Borlee brothers, Kevin, stormed to victory at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.

David Gillick's attempt to win Ireland's first medal at the European Championships ended in disappointment tonight as he finished fifth in the 400m final.

IRISH team manager Patsy McGonagle believes David Gillick is ready to win his first European outdoor medal in this evening’s 400m final at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.

DAVID GILLICK ran to within two hundredths of a second of his national record to win his semi-final in 44.79 secs and earn his place in tomorrow’s men’s 400m final which promises to be the race of the European championships.

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.

OLIVE LOUGHNANE gets the programme under way in the women’s 20k walk at 7.05am (Irish time) when she faces a field of just 23 in her quest to add a European Championship medal to her world championship medal and only Sonia O’Sullivan and Eamonn Coghlan have done that in outdoor competition before.

OLYMPIC and world champion Usain Bolt recovered from a poor start to win the 100m at the Paris Diamond League meet in 9.84 seconds last night.

Two-time European indoor champion David Gillick equalled his season's best of 45.32 when finishing second in tonight's 400 metres at the European Team Championships 1st League competition in Budapest.