Champion of the world

SHE came, she jumped, she conquered. Cork woman Derval O’Rourke hurdled her way to stunning gold medal success at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow at the weekend.

Blazing her way to the winner’s podium in the women’s 60 metre hurdles, the Leevale athlete also twice broke the Irish record on her sprint to glory. Derval’s performance in the Olympiski Stadium on Saturday makes her the first Irishwoman to win a gold medal at the World Indoor Athletics Championships.

The 24-year-old from Hillcourt Estate, Douglas, Cork, just held off Spain’s Glory Alozie in a blanket finish to take the title and the €34,000 winner’s prize.

“This is unbelievable,” the ecstatic Leevale runner said. “At first I couldn’t believe it. I haven’t been beaten in a race this year, so at first that was how I was thinking. It took me a little while there to realise this was the Worlds. That I was world champion.”

But the reality hit home as she stepped up to receive the coveted gold at yesterday’s medal ceremony in the Russian capital.

Fellow Corkonian Sonia O’Sullivan is the only other Irish woman to have won a medal at the championships, finishing second in the 3,000 metres in 1997, while Derval’s clubmate Marcus O’Sullivan brought home gold from the same competition on three occasions.

Sports Minister John O’Donoghue was first off the blocks to congratulate Ms O’Rourke. Yesterday Taoiseach Bertie Ahern joined in: “She has a terrific style,” he said, wishing her well in her career.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Clune said: “I congratulate Derval on this very proud day for her and for her club. I know the people of Cork will share in that immense pride all Irish people feel as we see one of our own performing so well at a World Championship.”

Eva O’Rourke, mother of the former UCD scholarship student who works part-time in DCU to facilitate her training, watched the race at home on TV. Dad Terry was at Lansdowne Road watching Ireland beat Scotland in the Six Nations rugby championship.

“Terry and I go to most of her races but we decided not to go to Russia because we felt we put too much pressure on her because she tends to feel she has to spend some of her spare time with us,” Derval’s mother explained. She said her daughter was always into sport. “When she decided to run, that was it. She did not need any encouragement to go out and train hard.”

Derval’s family will travel to Dublin tonight to welcome the champion back to Ireland. She is expected back on Leeside later this week.