Gillick blasts Vieru after missing out on final following stumble

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.

Having won his heat pulling up earlier in the day in 47.10 seconds it looked inevitable he would qualify for the final from a six runner semi-final field that was useful but certainly nothing exceptional.

But it turned into a nightmare for the defending champion after he ran into traffic difficulties at the half-way point and then attempted to rectify his position at 300 metres only to lose the battle against the Romanian, Ioan Vieru.