McKee tips European glory for 400m relay colleagues
The national record-holder was running his first 400m race in two years at the Antrim Forum last night.
“Whether or not I will make myself available for the Europa Cup will depend on how I come out of that,” he said yesterday.
“But I had a 200m race and two relays - 4x100m and 4x400m - in England on Saturday and I recovered pretty well from that,” he said.
But he has been bothered by a knee injury in recent weeks and wants to have that sorted out before he finalises his plans.
“I am going across to see a guy in London on Monday and I am pretty confident he will fix it up. He always does,” he said.
“The world championships are obviously a target at this point but I would like to think we will take medals from the European championships next year.
“David Gillick has now got down to 45 seconds and that’s four of us who can run that time. If all four go to the line then we can mix it with any of them.
“He was brilliant in the European indoor championships and that gave me a huge lift and the motivation to get down to it again after being out for so long.”
The Irish teams for the Europa Cup in Leirias, Portugal, the weekend after next will be selected tonight and, with the exception of some notables like Alistair Cragg and Marie Davenport, the should be a fair depth of talent to choose from.
Sonia O’Sullivan is also unlikely to be available, although the selectors will be in touch with her before they finalise the women’s team.
Karen Shinkins, who is back running close to her best ever form, will be available and others like the Leevale club mates Derval O’Rourke (100m hurdles) and Ailish McSweeney (sprints) are likely to be top shape after back-to-back runs in Bratislava last night and tomorrow night’s meet in Ostrava, when they set out for Portugal.
The men, too, are in hot company alongside the likes of Greece, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, the Ukraine and Romania.
“It is so important that we are near full strength for both competitions,” International Secretary Liam Hennessy said.
“Let’s face it, this is really top-class competition and we would not have the same depth as other countries.”
It is important for Irish athletics that both men and women remain in the same division for next season as AAI are planning to stage the European Cup 2006 match in Dublin.
Most if not all of the European Youth Olympic team will face some of the best junior athletes in Europe in Mannheim on June 18 and 19.
The team will be named this afternoon and many of the top names from last Saturday’s Kit Kat Irish Schools championships will be included.
David McCarthy, the middle distance star from West Waterford, had already intended competing at this meet and now he is likely to be joined by the likes of Ciarán Ó Lionaird, Kelly Proper, Kalyn Sheahan, Mairead Murphy, Danny Darcy, who was so impressive in winning the 1,500m title, and Rose Anne Galligan, who returned a fine middle distance double.
Catherine Cuddihy, who had a double in the 400m and 400m hurdles, will be sitting her Leaving Cert but Eoin Everard, also from Kilkenny, winner of the senior boys’ 800m, is hoping he may be able to get away.
