Battling O’Rourke just misses out on podium finish

SHE did not win a medal this time but Derval O’Rourke had another amazing adventure at the European championships in Paris yesterday when she reported back from injury to claim fourth place in the final of the women’s 60m hurdles.

In a repeat of last year’s outdoor championships in Barcelona where she won the silver medal she was drawn twice alongside her arch rival, Carolin Nytra, and the German finally found her measure as she went on to win her first major title in 7.80 secs — the fastest time run in Europe this year.

Newcomer, Tiffany Ofili, recorded the same time but lost out to Nytra in the photo finish as she set her second UK record of the day with Christina Vukicevic setting a new Norwegian record at 7.83 secs in third place.

Derval O’Rourke, had to settle for fourth in a seasonal best time of 7.96 seconds quicker than her first round 8.07 and her semi-final 7.98.

“I ran 7.97 in the final two years ago and I won a bronze medal that day,” she said. “You have to take your day. All three ahead of me ran faster than my pb.”

While the lane draw was always going to be a factor she was reluctant to blame it for her fourth place finish.

“Every lane is the same — they are all five hurdles, they are all 60 metres so that didn’t really bother me,” she said. “In a fairytale land I would have liked to be in the middle but you can’t pick your lanes.

“The biggest thing was the past three weeks were so really, really hard preparation. I have only hurdled twice in three weeks. The first time was on Sunday and the second time was on Tuesday. To come and do what I did I have to be happy.”

She admitted that it was just 50/50 at one point whether or not she would compete at the championships.

“The weekend of the national championships it was very much 50/50 and mentally that’s a hard way to prepare,” she said. “You have to be half prepared that you might not go and from that point of view it was difficult. I kept describing myself as being a split personality — the person who was going to Europeans and the person who wasn’t. That was hard.

“But then if this happened before the Olympics next year I would have to do it. If I couldn’t get over my full high hurdles at full speed last Sunday then I wouldn’t have come and I could so I had to come and just tough it .

“I knew the girls were really running fast and I think that’s the thing in my event — it’s never soft, it’s never easy. It is really, really fast and that’s why when I do well I’m really happy with myself and I know how hard it is.

“I think I’m good enough to medal but all three girls ran faster than my pb. Before the last three weeks I think I would have broken my pb.

Considering this is only my third competition and to run so well is unprecedented for me so I can’t be hard on myself.

“We did a scan and it showed up a little small tear. You don’t know how fast that’s going to heal and you are hoping. We didn’t re-scan it so I presumed it was gone but I didn’t want to know if it was or not.

“I thought I was going to win it. I always think I am going to win finals. I told Sean (Cahill) I wasn’t going to come here if I didn’t believe a few days beforehand I was going to win it.

“Come world championships and I’m in the final I believe I can win that. If you don’t think like that you’ll never do anything.”

After she had finished third behind Nytra and Alina Tali (Belarus) in the first semi-final, Tiffany Ofili threw the cat amongst the pigeons by leading in a fast second semi, setting the first of two UK records at 7.89 secs with Vukicevic, 7.93, second, and the Russian, Akeksandra Antonova, 7.98 secs, third.

Ofili, who was born in the US of a British mother, was the 2009 US collegiate champion both indoors and outdoors and was declared eligible to compete for the UK last September.

Ailis McSweeney, who trains with Derval O’Rourke, gets her 60m campaign under way this morning. She is ranked fourth fastest in her field with the first three in each of four heats to go through to this afternoon’s semi-finals along with the three fastest losers.

Mary Cullen, a bronze medallist two years ago, goes in the first heat of the women’s 3,000m where she should claim her final place among the first four. The first four in each heat go through to tomorrow’s final along with the four fastest losers. She has avoided European leader Helen Clitheroe (Great Britain) who goes in the second heat.