Gillick aims to hit top gear in European Cup

DAVID GILLICK will have the A standard for the world championships in Helsinki as his target when he lines up for the 400m at the European Cup in Leiria, Portugal, on the weekend of June 18/19.

The European indoor champion got his outdoor season off to a flying start when he posted a career best 45.93 secs last week and, while that was a B standard for Helsinki, it was also good enough to indicate that the 45.55 A standard is within his grasp.

The selectors have named James Nolan at 3,000m. He has previously represented his country in the 800m and 1,500m at this level.

The meet will mark the return of long jump record holder, Ciaran McDonagh, to international competition. He is one of the stars pencilled in to oppose the Olympic champion, Dwight Phillips, at the BUPA Cork City Sports on July 2 and this event will provide a huge marker for him.

We have seen precious little of him since the world championships in Seville in 1999 when he became the first Irishman to jump eight metres and he did that coming off a prolonged and frustrating period of injury.

Similarly Antoine Burke, a former world junior silver medallist in the high jump, has had injury problems. A formidable 400m runner, he has dabbled with the 400m hurdles in recent years and now that he has taken this event seriously he could be a formidable force because he has the physique and the stamina needed to succeed.

Anna Boyle who included a new Northern Ireland record for 200m in her sprint double in Ostrava earlier this week is named at both 100m and 200m while Karen Shinkins, who got her season off to the best start in years, returns for the 400m.

Paul Hession will command a lot of attention in the 200m while the lionhearted Nenagh man, Gary Ryan, who has won eight Irish titles in all - four at 100m and four at 200m, returns to the green vest at 100m.

Derval O’Rourke will be hoping to claim valuable points for Ireland in the 100m hurdles while national cross-country champion, Joelene Boyle is named at both 1,500m and 3,000m. In the 1,500m she could cross paths with the double Olympic Champion, Kelly Holmes, as Great Britain are also in this group.

And Paula Radcliffe has also been named by UK athletics for the event. She is scheduled to go in the 5,000m where Ireland’s Maria McCambridge will be looking for a fast time.

An interesting newcomer is Martin Fagan (Mullingar) who has been enjoying his best track season since joining Ray Treacy at Providence College. He is named at 5,000m.