Hamstring injury rules O’Rourke out of world indoors

DERVAL O’ROURKE is out of next weekend’s World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar with a hamstring injury.

It’s the latest in a series of frustrations for the Cork sprinter with a calf injury forcing her to miss weeks of pre-season training, and sickness ruling her out of the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham.

All medal hopes will now rest with David Gillick who was awarded with the Crowne Plaza athlete of the month following his performance in Aviva Grand Prix when he equalled his own Irish Indoor Record of 45.52 seconds.

The time currently ranks him as the fourth fastest in the World’s top list.

Meanwhile Mark Kenneally Clonliffe Harriers) is poised to finally claim the Woodies DIY national senior cross-country championship – a title that has eluded him for so many years – and there will hardly be a more popular or more deserving winner if he makes it on to the podium at The Phoenix Park on Sunday.

When the other leading lights faltered during the SPAR European cross-country championships in Santry last December he came storming through to finish eighth and provide the thousands of home supporters with something to cheer about.

Previous visits to Santry saw him among the minor medals in the national championships – he was third to Keith Kelly last year. In December in the wind and rain at Kilbeggan Racecourse he again had to be content with the bronze medal behind Andrew Ledwith and Sean Connolly in the inter-counties.

If he has maintained his form it is difficult to find anyone to match strides with him this time around. His erstwhile training partner, Mark Christie, will be missing as will Sean Connolly but there are rumours surrounding Gary Murray’s form and if they are true the former champion could be a big threat.

The surprise packet, however, could be David McCarthy (West Waterford) if he decides to compete. He has been back from Providence College for some time and last week he was just pipped on the line in the big road race in Armagh after Kenneally had drifted off the back of the leading bunch inside the last kilometre.

Otherwise Alan O’Brien (Crusaders), the Raheny Shamrock pair, Mick Clohisey and Mark Kirwan, the Mulhare brothers from North Laois and newly crowned intermediate champion, Brendan O’Neill (DSD), are the ones he will have to watch.

Last year’s winner, Maria McCambridge, returns to defend her senior women’s title but she will find former European U23 silver medallist and Olympic steeplechaser, Fionnuala Britton, more of a handful this time around. Linda Byrne (DSD) is the athlete with form while Sarah Treacy, a former junior champion, is another with potential to make an impact.

Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn) is all set to add the junior women’s title to her growing list of successes with Mary Mulhare next in line but the junior men’s race promises to be a competitive affair with Liam Brady (Tullamore Harriers), Shane Quinn (Ferrybank), Liam Tremble (Merto/St Brigid’s), Chris Jones (Raheny Shamrock) and Emmet Jennings (DSD) all medal prospects.

Meanwhile, a night of champions hosted by Irish Runner and featuring Eamonn Coghlan, John Treacy and Catherina McKiernan will be held at the Donore Harriers Sports Centre in Chapelizod tomorrow night at 8pm and provides an ideal opportunity for coaches and athletes to hear three icons of athletics share their experiences.