Battling Gillick gets set for his toughest test

DAVID GILLICK faces the most daunting if most exciting assignment of his career later today in the semi-finals of the men’s 400m at the World Championships in Berlin.

The two-time European indoor champion earned himself automatic qualification yesterday morning when finishing second in his first-round heat. The race was won by Robert Tobin (Great Britain) in 45.50 secs with Gillick second in 45.54 and Rabah Yousif third in 45.55.

But Gillick had to work hard. After running a good back straight he went into the top bend disputing third place but lost ground and there were five-in-a-row turning into the finishing straight.

Suddenly he found himself under pressure but he put in a storming last 30 metres to snatch second place, leaving American, Lionel Larry, to sweat it out among the fastest losers.

“I’m just happy to get that out of the way,” Gillick said. “Yeah I would have preferred to win it but I was little bit blind around that top bend and then I kinda thought I was ahead and then, bang, I got a little bit caught.

“I had to work a little bit more in the last 20-30 metres but, to be honest, I don’t really mind. I’ve plenty of time to recover and if anything I’ll benefit greatly from having that run.

“I’m happy enough to get the first one out of the way but tomorrow night is the big one. That’s it, that’s my final. I have to look at it that way because so many people are going to be gunning for that final.

“I don’t really bother about lanes and stuff but there will be really good people in it and it’s gonna be cut-throat. Only the top two are automatic so it’s very tight. Yeah, tomorrow’s the one.

“This time around that confidence is there after getting a run under my belt this morning because I haven’t raced since Monaco so it was very important to get a good run out there. Now I am looking forward to tomorrow night. It’s good to get going.”

He said racewalker Olive Loughnane had given the whole Irish camp a huge lift with her silver medal on Sunday.

“It’s really a nice place to be right now – not like last year all the messing going out to the other side of the world. This is a lot more chilled out. Everyone’s kinda doing their own thing but yet it’s still a good team spirit and everyone’s happy. Olive getting a medal created a good vibe around the camp which is great.”

This evening Gillick again goes in the first of three races, drawn in lane 6 which is just two lanes outside the defending champion and 2004 Olympic champion, Jeremy Wariner. The first two in each race will be joined by the two fastest losers in Friday’s final.

Johan Wissman (Sweden), another regular sparring partner of Gillick, drew the less favoured inside lane while Frenchman Leslie Djhone (fifth in the final in Beijing last year) who was behind Gillick in Monaco gets lane 3 with Joel Milburn (Australia) in seven and Michael Bingham (Great Britain) on the outside.

Ramon Miller (Bahamas) posted the quickest time of the morning yesterday when he won the fifth heat in 45.00 secs – a big personal best for the 22-year-old Olympic relay silver medallist who is drawn in Lane 5.

Wariner and Merritt eased their way into the semi-finals when the biggest name to depart from the first round was African record holder, Gary Kikaya, disqualified for lane violation.

Ireland’s Deirdre Byrne finished 11th in her heat of the women’s 1,500m in 4:12.19 while Deirdre Ryan also finished down the field behind Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) in her qualifying round of the women’s high jump in which her best clearance was 1.85m. Vlasic opened at 1.85m and was clear all the way up to the standard set at 1.95m.

Olive Loughnane returns home on Saturday and will be introduced to the crowd at the All-Ireland football semi-final between Cork and Tyrone at Croke Park. Paul Hession, David Gillick and Derval O’Rourke are scheduled to travel home early as well to represent their provinces in the shuttle relay to be run off at half-time.