Coach insists O’Rourke can improve in Hungary

DERVAL O’ROURKE will continue her build up to the world championships in Daegu and, ultimately, next year’s Olympic Games when she lines up for the 100m hurdles in Budapest tomorrow.

The European silver medallist claimed two big scalps on her last outing when she finished third in Lucerne, ahead of European champion Nevin Yanit and world champion Brigitte Foster Hilton.

“She was far from perfect at the start and she definitely took her eye off the sixth hurdle — she just did not attack it,” O’Rourke’s coach Terri Cahill said.

Sean Cahill, the other half of the coaching partnership, will travel with the Cork athlete to Budapest this weekend to see if there are any obvious problems that need to be addressed.

“Her performances in her races are not reflecting her running in training,” Terri said.

“I can’t emphasise how quick she is in her work — maybe her 12.84 in the middle of a big block of hard training showed some of what she is capable of doing — but she is going to run really fast this summer.”

However, her training partner and Leevale clubmate, Ailis McSweeney, who holds the Irish record for 100m, has called a halt to her season and will concentrate on next year and her bid for an Olympic qualifying standard.

“The Achilles tendon has not responded to treatment as quickly as it should,” Terri said.

“We have decided to forfeit the remainder of the season and prepare for next year.”