O’Sullivan taking one step at a time

GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN is back in full training but the world silver medallist has resigned herself to the fact that she won’t run at the world championships in Helsinki in August.

Olive Loughnane will spearhead the Irish challenge at Sunday’s Waterford Crystal Dublin Grand Prix of Race Walking in the absence of O’Sullivan. The women’s 20k will see Portugal’s Maribel Goncalves and Christine Guinaudeau from France lining up alongside Loughnane.

“Obviously I would like to be one of those competitors,” Gillian O’Sullivan admitted. “But I have to accept the fact that I can’t rush things.”

She has been training consistently for some time now and is thrilled with her progress.

“I am not walking as fast as I was but the fact that I have been able to get in some consistent work is important,” she said. “I had one slight setback recently - a shin problem - but thankfully that has been sorted out.”

But, after all that has happened over the past year, she decided to take no chances and returned to Germany to meet Dr. Hans Muller-Wohlfahrt, who was able to put her mind at ease.

“Apart from the fact that he is very good at what he does, he also has the ability to instil confidence in you and that is important,” she said. “You leave knowing that everything is going to be all right.”

While she is disappointed at missing the world championships, she is happy with the way things are going.

“The next couple of months are going to be very important. I know I have a bit to go but as you get fitter the training gets easier. It is all about consistency and getting your confidence back. Everything is much easier when you are fit. Right now I would say I am reasonably fight. I will just keep on training - looking at the bigger picture - and get it right for next year.

“I have come a long way since this time last year. That’s when my trouble started.”

Robert Heffernan, battling his way back from injury, won’t contest the 20k event but could line up for the 50k as part of his training programme. The Irish 50k record holder, Jamie Costin, is well on the road to full recovery following his horrific traffic accident in Greece on the eve of last year’s Olympic Games.

The Grand Prix, a major EAA Permit Meeting, always attracts many of the world’s leading race-walkers and it takes on an extra dimension this year with several seeking qualification times for the world championships.