Grant boosts Gillian on road to recovery

GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN got a boost as she battles back to full-fitness when the Irish Sports Council awarded her €20,000 under the 2006 High Performance grant scheme.

Silver medallist in the 20k walk at the world championships in Paris in 2003 and overall winner of the Grand Prix series that year, she was forced to leave Athens on the eve of the 2004 Olympics with a back injury.

And while that problem responded to a prolonged period of treatment, she has been struggling with a virus since last summer.

“Things had been going well and I was really happy,” she said: “Then this virus struck and it left me physically drained. I’m feeling much better now but it has been tricky.

“My problem was fatigue, and while I could train for an hour I would have to pace myself. I feel I am getting there. I am more or less resigned to the fact that I will not be racing until the summer.”

That could rule her out of the European championships in Gothenburg where - fully fit - she would be one of the favourites.

Robert Heffernan and Jamie Costin each got €12,000 to boost their return to form. Costin - back after the horrific traffic accident that sent him home from Athens not knowing if he would ever walk again - is currently training in Portugal.

But Heffernan is waiting to be called for surgery that will end 10 months of misery. He is awaiting the results of an MRI scan which is likely to show a hernia problem.

“I am working out in the gym and I can jog but I can’t race walk. I have had the problem since last May and it has been very frustrating.

“That’s why the grant was so important. I’ve had a disastrous winter but things are looking up. I would just like to have this surgery over, get right and then I have 20 weeks to prepare for the European championships.”