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.

The B standard for Paris is within O'Rourke's grasp. That stands at 13.11 secs with the A standard set at 12.96 secs. She is already moving towards the 13.11 mark with Susan Smith's existing 100m hurdles record 13.12 secs one of her immediate targets.

She recently finished her final exams for her BA Honours Degree at UCD where she has been a scholarship student, and while she was sitting those exams did very little training.

"She took a short break after the exams," her coach Jim Kilty confirmed.

"Yet she broke her national under-23 record twice in three races. At the start of the year her record was at 13.38 secs and she equalled that with a wind-assisted run at Cork City Sports last year.

"She ran 13.34 secs at the Golden Spike meet in Leidin in Holland and came out on Thursday in Riga and ran 13.41 having missed the gun which was drowned by the announcer."

In Ventspils on Saturday she reduced her record to 13.31 secs.

A finalist in the European under-23 championships last time around, she travels to Poland this year as one of the favourites for a medal and, after that, she had been looking towards the World Student Games.

"Unfortunately, it would appear that should she post a qualifying standard for the world championships, technically she has to go Paris," her coach said. "Obviously, we will have to do whatever we are directed to do."

Her training partner Ciara Sheehy came back from injury to finish second in the 200m (23.70) in Ventspils.

Anna Boyle (Ballymena) ran a career best of 11.74 secs to win the 100m with O'Rourke fourth in 11.92 before going on to finish third in the 100m hurdles in 13.31 secs.

Joanne Cuddihy finished second in the 400m in 53.85 secs while Freda Davoren, who set a new career best for 800m in Riga, led the women's 1,500m almost to the line before finishing third in 4:13.20.

With the 400m runners impressing, Gary Ryan posting his qualifying standard for the world championships, the Lombard brothers, Cathal and Fiachra, struck a blow for the middle distance men at the BMC meet in Eton where Cathal made a major breakthrough at 5,000m with a 13:39.54 run and Fiachra ran 13:49.45.

And there was a major blow to the men's team for the European Cup match in Lappeenranta, Finland, next weekend with the withdrawal of Gareth Turnbull as a result of a viral infection. His place in 1,500m will be taken by Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers).