Gregan cautious on gold

Brian Gregan feels ready for any challenge at the European Indoor Track and Field Championships in his bid to win his first senior international 400m medal in Gothenburg on March 1-3 as part of a strong Irish team.

Speaking at the launch of Powerade’s partnership with Athletics Ireland as official drink sponsor yesterday, Gregan was cautiously optimistic of taking gold.

“I’m targeting round after round. That’s what I’m telling everyone,” said Gregan. “I think that I need to get through the rounds before I can think about any kind of medal. If I get through to the final, then anything can happen.

Gregan, the fastest in Europe with his 46.07 clocking, feels the new format will help him and that he can run off any pace.

“The new format is a round each day rather than two rounds in one day,” said the Clonliffe Harrier.

Kevin Ankrom, Athletics Ireland High Performance Director, is confident that Gregan is one of four athletes that can medal at the Europeans.

“We definitely have the opportunity to win medals with the profile of performers competing in their respective events – Brian Gregan (400m), Derval O’Rourke (60m Hurdles), Ciaran Ó Lionaird (3000m) and Fionnuala Britton (3000m),” said Ankrom yesterday.

Fionnuala Britton (Kilcoole) races in the XL Galen in Stockholm against Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba this evening and will look to improve on her 3,000m best of 8:55.22 she ran in Karlsruhe a couple of weeks ago.

Leevale’s Derval O’Rourke and Ciaran Ó Lionaird are the other two medal hopefuls. Ó Lionaird became the fourth fastest Irish indoor miler of all time at the Wanamaker mile last Saturday finishing third in 3:52.10 and is ranked number one in Europe with his 3:36.85 split in that race.

Other initial athletes selected yesterday for Gothenburg were Ciara Everard in the 800m (UCD AC), Amy Foster in the 60m (City of Lisburn AC), David McCarthy in the 3,000m (West Waterford AC) and Tori Pena in the Pole Vault (Finn Valley AC).