Gillick wins 200m in Santry

David Gillick warmed up for the forthcoming World Championships by claiming the 200 metres title at the Woodie's DIY National Athletics Championships at Morton Stadium this afternoon.

Sharpening up his speed, Gillick dropped down a distance from his regular 400m and put in runs of 21.78 seconds (heat) and 21.43 (final) for a tidy day's work.

He beat Sli Cualann's Darragh Graham (21.55) and Crusaders' junior Steven Colvert (21.99), running into a head wind of 3.6m/s.

The Dundrum South Dublin star recently became the first Irishman to dip under 45 seconds over one lap, lowering his national record to 44.77.

With a headwind blowing down the straight, track times were never going to be particularly quick but Cork-born Olive Loughnane did set a new personal best in winning the 5,000m walk.

Seventh in the 20km at last year's Olympics, Loughnane tuned up for the Worlds with an encouraging display, coming home in 21 minutes, 03.45 seconds to clip just under four seconds off her previous best.

Speaking afterwards, she said: "This is a good form indicator and it gives me confidence that if there's 5km left on the board in Berlin, I can push as good as anyone.

"I hoping to make the top eight in Berlin. I'm in very good shape, maybe slightly stronger than last year.

"I'm just going to go out there, do my best and hopefully that will bring its own rewards."

Loughnane's fellow Beijing Olympian, Eileen O'Keeffe, made it nine national hammer titles in a row as she beat all before her once again in the Santry circle.

Coming back from an operation on a serious knee injury last year, O'Keeffe had a winning throw today of 69.91m and landed the hammer past the 68 metre-mark on four occasions.

The Kilkenny woman, who already has the 'A' qualifying standard for Berlin, was 'really delighted' to show that sort of consistency.

"I'm tapering the 70m line and considering the surgery and the fact I couldn't do any winter training, I'm very pleased," said the 28-year-old, who also won the discus title this afternoon with a throw of 43.86m.

"I'm only basing this off five months' training, so it's nice to be back in the circle and hitting the line near 70m.

"I have a three-week training block now before Berlin. I feel 68.50 or 69 metres would make the final there, so if I could throw near that, it'll be looking good."

Elsewhere, there was a Ferrybank 1-2 in the women's 200m when long jumper Kelly Proper took gold in a time of 24.34, with junior Niamh Whelan (24.68) and Steffi Creanor behind her.

The multi-talented Proper retained her long jump title with an impressive leap of 6.68m - over the 'B' standard for Berlin - but the wind (+3.0) was past the legal limit. She is set to run in the 100m tomorrow.

Mullingar's Martin Fagan had to drop out of the 10000m due to an Achilles problem, as Josphat Boit, guesting for Clonliffe Harriers, placed first in 29 minutes, 44.55 seconds.

Sli Cualann's Fionnuala Britton, another of Ireland's Beijing competitors, won the 3000m steeplechase title in a time of 10:04.95.

In the field, Crusaders clubman Colin Quirke won his first senior shot put title with a throw of 15.90m, achieved in the fifth round. Sean Breathnach of Galway City Harriers finished second with 15.18.

Mary McLoone of Tir Chonaill collected the gold medal in the women's triple jump, with 12.75m being her best leap.

Kourosh Foroughi from Star of the Sea AC won the high jump with a clearance of 2.10m.

Meanwhile, former European indoor gold medallist Derval O'Rourke has pulled out of the 100m hurdles for tomorrow.

She ran in Stockholm last night, clocking 13.12 seconds for seventh place in her heat, and will not run at the Nationals 'on medical grounds.'

Highlights of tomorrow's programme at Morton Stadium will include Paul Hession in the 100m and the 800m showdown between David Campbell and Thomas Chamney, with the pair winning their respective heats comfortably.

Campbell, Mark Kenneally and Liam Reale were heat winners in the 1500m which also has the potential to be a terrific final.