Derval warms-up in Portugal for the next big steps

DERVAL O’ROURKE will commence building on the phenomenal year that was 2009 when she travels to Portugal for warm weather training tomorrow – she already had a session in Cork over the festive season when she sneaked into the CIT track in Bishopstown.

Her big targets for 2010 are the world indoor championships in Doha and the European outdoor championships in Barcelona while home fans will have an opportunity to see her in action in her first hurdles race of the season at the Woodies DIY Irish indoor championships in the Odyssey Arena in Belfast on February 7.

The Odyssey has always been a happy hunting ground for the Leevale starlet. In 2006 she beat the world silver medallist, Deloreen Ennis-London (Jamaica) in the 60m hurdles and then went on to win the world indoor title in sensational style in Moscow. The following summer she won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles at the European championships in Gothenburg.