Loughnane taking no chances before Athens

OLIVE LOUGHNANE has pulled out of next weekend’s IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Naumburg, Germany, following an injury that resulted in the loss of valuable training time in preparation for her Olympic bid in Athens next August.

While she is already back in full training she felt that she would not be in a position to do herself justice in Naumburg and, in the context of her Athens preparations, it would mean losing more time - a week tapering down and another week resting afterwards - which she could ill afford to do.

“It is very disappointing to have to miss what is really the second biggest race of the year but I have to look at the bigger picture and the ultimate target is Athens,” she said.

She and Gillian O’Sullivan had a spectacular start to Olympic year in Tijuana where the world silver medallist finished fourth, walking faster than last year when she won the race, and Olive Loughnane came storming through in the closing stages to finish fifth.

She had spent much of the early part of the race in the leading pack and learned a lot from that experience. At this stage in her career, however, she has a wealth of experience behind her. Her first major championship was the Olympic Games in Sydney where Gillian O’Sullivan finished 10th.

She went into that race ranked just inside the top 50 and ended up 35th but she would later finish 13th in the European championships and then 12th in the world championships last year when Gillian O’Sullivan won the silver medal.

Her younger sister, Anne, silver medallist at the world youth championships in Canada last year, will also miss the World Cup next weekend on account of exams.

Gillian O’Sullivan will be hoping to build on her fine seasonal debut in Mexico when she goes to the line among the favourites for the title. She will be joined in the women’s race by Catriona McMahon from Askeaton.

Meanwhile the IAAF has informed the European Athletics Association that Jolene Byrne was ineligible to represent Ireland at the European cross-country championships in Edinburgh last December.

“At the time of the competition Mrs. Byrne did not have Irish citizenship,” the IAAF said but it was pointed out that while her name would be deleted from the results it would not affect the Irish team scoring as she was not amongst the leading four.

Ireland, led by Sonia O’Sullivan, won the silver medals in that event.