Down-to-earth Derval delighted at welcome

DERVAL O’Rourke was clutching her silver medal close when she was greeted by friends and fans at Dublin Airport yesterday.

The Cork athlete, who finished second in the women’s 100m hurdles final in the European Championships on Saturday night, was genuinely surprised at the size of her cheering reception party.

Because her family were out of the country she never imagined so many people would be at the airport when she flew in from Barcelona.

“The support I have got has been unbelievable and I appreciate every bit of it,” the delighted Leevale hurdler said.

In securing silver, Derval joins Sonia O’Sullivan as the only Irish athlete who has won multiple medals in the championships.

Derval wrote on her blog at 4am on Sunday morning that it felt really good to have come second and to have set a new national record.

But she also admitted she had been hoping to better her silver medal of four years ago in Gothenburg and, for a split second, thought it would be gold this time round.

“I have set high standards for myself. I was a tiny bit disappointed it was silver but it was so close,” she said.

She said she had not switched off since winning her fourth major championship medal.

Realising how close she was to the “shiniest medal of all” her brain was trying to change the result by picturing her winning gold over and over again.

Nevertheless, the athlete is happy to have another medal to add to her collection and expects to win more before her running days are over.

“Medals, I’ve always said, are very special, and I’m unbelievably happy to have another one,” she said.

She can also look forward to another great reception later this year, when pupils and teachers at Christ King Girls’ Secondary School in Cork welcome back their high-achieving past pupil.

Principal Mary Keane said staff and pupils were looking forward to honouring her personally once school resumed in the autumn.