Coman withdraws despite win

DAVID GILLICK, the European indoor 400m champion, has been named on the Irish team for the world championships in Helsinki the weekend after next.

Twelve athletes have been selected five of whom have achieved A standards in their events but Gillick was not included initially.

He missed the Woodies DIY national championships at the weekend with a troublesome hamstring. It caused him to pull out of Cork City Sports and he then withdrew from the final of the 400m at the European U-23 championships.

In his absence at the weekend, Tomás Coman retained his title and, as he also had the B standard, he was the first choice.

He said after the race that he would have to consider the situation.

"This was only my second race back and I would not be reading a lot into it," he said.

"I will have to think about it."

Yesterday morning he informed AAI he decided not to travel to Helsinki.

"We have replaced him with David Gillick, who also has the B standard," PRO Nick Davis said, pointing out they had selected Coman to preserve the national championships' integrity.

James Nolan, who ran 3:37.78 in Heusden on Saturday, was excused from the heats of the 1,500m but then he withdrew from the final with an Achilles tendon problem.

He too has been named on the team, as has sprinter Paul Hession, who is recovering from a back injury.

All three must prove their fitness at the Dublin International Games at Morton Stadium on Saturday, adding a new dimension to that meet.

It is understood Gillick and Hession will compete in the 200m.

A number of athletes who won titles at the national championships have been included in the team.

Robert Heffernan and Olive Loughnane, who won the men's and women's walks, have been named, along with Karen Shinkins, who won her ninth 400m title.

Also in are Derval O'Rourke, who went close to a unique double when she was just edged out by Anna Boyle in the 100m after she had won the 100m hurdles, and Eileen O'Keeffe, who set a new national record in the women's hammer. High hurdler Peter Coghlan is included after winning his ninth title.

Roisin McGettigan will make history when she becomes the first Irish woman to compete in the 3,000m steeplechase, which is included on the programme for the first time.

Maria McCambridge (5,000m), Marie Davenport (10,000m), Olive Loughnane, Roisin McGettigan and Robert Heffernan have A standards, while Gillick, Hession and Nolan, Coghlan, Shinkins, O'Rourke and O'Keeffe have achieved B standards.

The team is: Men: 200m, Paul Hession; 400m, David Gillick; 1,500m, James Nolan; 110m hurdles, Peter Coghlan; 20k Walk, Robert Heffernan.

Women: 400m, Karen Shinkins; 5,000m, Maria McCambridge; 10,000m, Marie Davenport; 100m Hurdles, Derval O'Rourke; 3,000m Steeplechase, Roisin McGettigan; 20k Walk, Olive Loughnane; Hammer, Eileen O'Keeffe.