Improving times may force O’Rourke to pick Paris over Student Games

DERVAL O’ROURKE has set two national under-23 records in three meets so far this season, and should she maintain this type of improvement the Cork starlet could be faced with something of a dilemma come August when the World Student Games in Korea clash with the IAAF world championships in Paris.

Since she made the semi-finals of the world indoor championships in Birmingham, the Student Games in Daegu have been the target for Ireland's newest hurdling sensation with a visit to Bydgoszcz in Poland for the European under-23 championships in between.

But should she achieve the qualifying standard for the world championships she must go to Paris or forego a possible place in next year's Olympic Games in Athens as the IAAF rule insists all qualifiers must go to the world championships unless there is a good reason for not taking part.