Knee ‘niggle’ puts Gillick out of Madrid

DAVID GILLICK withdrew from Saturday’s athletics meeting in Madrid with what was described as a “slight niggle” in his knee.

The two time European indoor 400m champion who set a new Irish record at 45.12 secs a couple of weeks ago has a lane in next Friday night’s Golden Gala in Rome and, with his Olympic preparations now in full flight, he decided to opt out of the Madrid race.

The race was won by Cedric van Branteghem (Belgium) in 45.13 secs which means that Gillick is still on top of the European rankings.

“While his decision to withdraw was not taken lightly it was purely precautionary,” the Irish Olympic team manager, Patsy McGonagle, confirmed. “He would not want to take any chances and the fact that he has a prime position in the Golden League meeting in Rome next weekend influenced him as well but there is absolutely no cause for concern.”

Paul McKee competed in Madrid and won the 400m Race 2 in 46.55 secs which placed him eight overall at the end of the two races.

Derval O’Rourke continued her low key build up to the Olympics in Madrid where she finished third in the 100m hurdles in 13.18 secs which was short of the 12.93 secs which she ran in Milan earlier in the week where she finished second to Nevin Yanit (Turkey), 12.79

The race in Madrid was won by the high-flying Spaniard (of Nigerian extraction), Josephine Onyia, in 12.94 secs with Ukranian, Yevgeniya Snihur, second in 13.17 secs.