O’Rourke overcomes injury hurdle to qualify for Madrid

DERVAL O’ROURKE ended an injury nightmare on Saturday with qualification for the European Indoor Championships in Madrid in March.

A second place finish (8.25 seconds) in the 60 metre hurdles at Loughborough marks the end of a troublesome 16 months of injury.

Since her heroics at the world indoor championships in Birmingham two years ago, the Cork girl has been troubled by ankle problem and ill health. After a difficult start to 2004 she appeared to be back on track, with a good performance at the BUPA Cork City Sports finalising her preparation for the Olympic Games. But she picked up a virus in Thessalonika which adversely affected her Athens performance.