ATHLETICS/World Championships: Past disappointments behind her, Maria McCambridge heads to Helsinki with a place in the 5,000 metres final in her sights, writes Ian O'Riordan
Sitting comfortably? Done our 30 minutes of exercise for the day? Are we ready to follow the Irish athletes in Helsinki? Here we go again. There's still nothing like a major championship to bring out the true armchair athletics fan.
They walk into the television room with refreshment in hand and wait for the moment. Told you. Useless, aren't we? Ireland specialises in the armchair athletics fan. We all love Irish athletes, so we kiss them when they're up, and we kick them when they're down.
Maria McCambridge has never really let the armchair athletics fan get to her, but she knows they're out there. McCambridge is so reserved and unassuming you have to drag any hard feelings out of her. In the days before travelling to Helsinki she is particularly upbeat and bubbly, but eventually some of the anger reveals itself.
"I know the way it is," she says. "I've been to a lot of major championships already and not run well. It's been so frustrating to have been there so many times and just collapsed. It's possible I just wasn't fit enough, but I don't think people realise how disappointed the athletes are when they don't perform the way they can."
McCambridge throws her head back at the thought of any sympathy. She's 30 years old, and enjoying her running more than ever. There's no way back now, no regrets, and what's done is done. It's only when she touches on her past experiences that the picture of the armchair athletics fan comes to mind again. Told you.
In 1993, McCambridge was easily the best junior woman athlete Ireland had, winning national titles on the track and cross country. She took the logical step of heading to Providence College, alma mater of John Treacy and Mark Carroll, and breeding ground of champions. There she endured more injuries than successes, and graduated with the class of '98 with another stress fracture in her leg.
The 2000 Olympics in Sydney became the motivation tool for a comeback, and when she lowered her 5,000 metres best to 15:18.78 it appeared she'd made it - only for three other athletes to be selected ahead of her. Now she was feeling a little hard done by, and put everything into making the World Championships in Edmonton in 2001. She got there, and finished third last in her heat in 16:04.49. Told you.
Her response was typical - train harder, run faster. She helped the Irish women's team win bronze medals at the 2002 World Cross Country in Leopardstown and that summer went to the European Championships in Munich with yet further desire to perform - and finished last in 17:00.15.
Now she really was angry. So over the following winter she went altitude training in South Africa with marathon runner Gary Crossan, her now husband. She was going to get it right this time. The day she got there she ran 15 miles in the hills and continued to pile on the mileage, before eventually breaking the golden rule. She over-trained, and the entire 2003 season was a washout.
Clearly something had to change. Jerry Kiernan had become her coach and mentor, and while the respect remains undiminished, she needed a fresh approach, and let Gary take over the ropes. He preached less quantity, more quality, and a bit of fun.
Everything was geared towards making the Athens Olympics, and everything was going to plan when she made the World Indoor 3,000 metre final in Budapest, finishing ninth. Coming good at last. Told you.
The summer came quickly and quality races are always hard to come by in Olympic year. The Olympic Council of Ireland had extended their qualification date to July 20th, but by then she still hadn't hit the required time. She pressed on regardless, winning the national title in Santry before knocking 13 seconds off her best by running 15:05.86 in Heusden in Belgium - a full three seconds inside the A-standard for Athens.
Too late, said the Olympic Council, forget about it. For a full week it felt like she had the whole country on her side. Ring Pat Hickey yourself, she was finally told. She'd worked too hard to give up now. She rang Hickey. At last, three days before the Irish team were leaving for the Olympics, she was told to pack her bags.
From that moment everything went downhill. The day after her time was accepted Cathal Lombard was busted for a failed drugs test, blackening the whole Irish team. Lombard was an athlete she trusted and she felt horribly betrayed. That was her good luck message for the Athens Olympics.
"It should have been the best experience of my life, but it was the worst experience of my life. I just didn't handle it well at all. The stress was just awful. I was getting this incredible support from the whole country, which I couldn't believe, but there was a lot of nasty stuff going on as well. I let it get to me, instead of funnelling it into something else. I was just so paranoid about not saying anything. I had so much pent up frustration and anger for a long time afterwards. I'd just hate anyone else to go through what I did.
"Running in the Olympics had been a lifelong ambition, definitely. I was so upset to miss out on Sydney, especially missing out in the way I did. I had about three days before leaving for the Athens training camp. And I ended up getting sick going out there, getting a bad head cold and just getting run down.
"It was definitely the stress. I knew I was in good shape, and just wanted to run well in Athens, just to show them that I did actually deserve to be on the team. I couldn't even come away with that."
Her dream of making the Olympics had quickly turned into a nightmare. She arrived at the athletes' village to find her room-mate, one of the Irish swimmers, had already left. She was totally alone and knew no one. She stayed one night and the next day moved into Gary's hotel in downtown Athens. She could have been anywhere. She was sick, she was stressed, and went into action on the first day of the athletics programme and finished 15th in her heat, running 15:57.42. Told you.
"That race itself was just awful. All I remember was my feet felt like they were on fire, and all I wanted to do was get my spikes off. If you're feeling down about your race the Olympics is the worst place in the world to be. You feel like a nobody.
"I was very down for a long time. The only good thing about it was that I had the qualifying time for this year. And I think I'm a better athlete because of it, but I had to do a lot of soul searching afterwards."
It's possible that a lesser athlete wouldn't have survived such an experience, but McCambridge is too far down her running career, and too hardened by it, to turn back now.
She still works part time as a fitness instructor at the Killiney Hotel, and her preparations for Helsinki have been smoother than anything she can remember. Recently she's been benefiting from the altitude-simulating machine at the Peak Centre in Sandyford, and in her main test of the season ran a best of 8:50.40 for 3,000 metres at the Madrid Grand Prix - finishing third behind two Kenyans, and beating Australia's Benita Johnson.
"The big difference this year is that I've had the luxury of the qualifying time all along, which means I've been able to focus everything on Helsinki.
"I thought I was in the best shape of my life last year, but I feel I've been getting better all this season. I've done a lot of work on strength, and I've really tried to work on the mental side, doing a lot of work on concentration.
"I want to make the final in Helsinki, that's the target. Already I feel a lot more confident about running on track. I also want to go to Beijing. That's one of the things I decided last year. Of course I'll take it year by year, but I decided I need to do that for myself."
There's not much else she can say about Helsinki. She knows herself it's what happens on the track that counts. If everything goes to planshe's likely to be our only finalist. If not . . . Told you.
Irish in action
(All programme times Irish, * denotes Irish record)
PAUL HESSION (Athenry AC)
Event: 200m. Age: 20. PB: 20.61
The Galway athlete remains Ireland's brightest sprint prospect. Missed going to the Athens Olympics by .02 of a second. Has since worked with Scottish coach Stuart Hogg, but a back injury wrecked the best part of his season. Finally raced last weekend at the Dublin international, clocking 20.89, but needs to go quicker to progress to round two in what is his first World Championships. - 200m heats, Tuesday, 10.20 am
JAMES NOLAN (UCD)
Event: 1,500m. Age: 28. PB: 3:35.69.
The Offaly athlete needs to at least make the semi-finals - like he did in Athens last year. Had his grant infamously dropped by the Irish Sports Council, but hasn't yet responded in the way he threatened. Ran 3:37.78 in Belgium a fortnight ago, his best time in two years, but even if he repeats that sort of time he'll have a hard time making the semi-finals. - 1,500m heats, today, 6.30 pm
PETER COGHLAN (Crusaders)
Event: 110m hurdles. Age: 30. PB: 13.30.*
It's six years since the Dubliner ran his Irish record at the Seville World Championships, where he came within one spot of reaching the final. Injury and bad luck has mostly stood in the way of him repeating that sort of time, but last year he ran the Olympic B-standard nine times. Friends and family convinced him to keep going this year after he too was given the chop by the Sports Council, and a season's best of 13.63 last weekend suggests he could yet rebuff their lack of faith. - 110m hurdles heats, Wednesday, 8.50 am
ROBERT HEFFERNAN (Togher AC)
Event: 20km walk. Age: 28. PB: 1:20.25.*
Like his fellow Irish walkers he endured a heartbreaking Olympics, getting disqualified before halfway. He's bounced back with typical vengeance, clocking 1:24.35 earlier this year and is now intent on improving his 14th place in Edmonton four years ago. - 20km walk, final, today, 4.40 pm
KAREN SHINKINS (Dublin City Harriers)
Event: 400 metres. Age: 28. PB: 51.07.*
Another regarded as finished by the Sports Council, she opened her season with 51.59 - her fastest in three years. Now coached by former Olympic relay champion Pauline Davis of the Bahamas, the Newbridge athlete still threatens to come close to her six-year-old Irish record. Her lack of racing this season does raise some questions, but with everything being geared for Helsinki she can definitely make the second round. - 400 metre heats, tomorrow, 9.55 am
MARIA McCAMBRIDGE (Dundrum South Dublin)
Event: 5,000 metres. Age: 30. PB: 15:05.86.
Now more than ever the Dundrum athlete wants to deliver something memorable on the world stage, and that means making the final. She's prepared meticulously this year, running into form with an 8:50.40-clocking over 3,000 metres last month. Her Olympic A-standard last year of 15:05.86 made her the third fastest Irish woman ever after Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan, and if she can repeat that kind of time the final definitely awaits. - 5,000 metre heats, Wednesday, 7.20 pm
MARIE DAVENPORT (Marian AC)
Event: 10,000 metres. Age: 30. PB: 31:28.78.
Worked her way to a 14th-place finish in Athens, one of the least appreciated Irish performances at the Olympics. She doesn't seem to be in the same sort of form as last year, and failed to finish at the recent Stockholm Grand Prix. Yet she has the experience to be among the top Europeans. - 10,000 metres final, today, 7.15 pm
DERVLA O'ROURKE (Leevale AC)
Event: 100m hurdles. Age: 24. PB: 12.96.*
The Cork athlete continues to progress. Sickness ruined her Athens experience, but she's rebounded to twice threaten her Irish record this season, including a 12.97 run in Dublin last weekend. Looks poised to break that record in Helsinki, and that could be her ticket to later rounds. - 100 metre hurdles heats, Tuesday, 4.40 pm
RÓISÍN McGETTIGAN (Slí Cualann AC)
Event: 3,000m steeplechase. Age: 25. PB: 9:45.60.*
The Wicklow native will make history in Helsinki as the first Irish representation in the World Championship steeplechase. Proved her ability by winning her European Cup group race back in June. Will be looking to lower her year-old Irish record, and is confident that could take her into the final. - 3,000m steeplechase heats, today, 10.05 am
OLIVE LOUGHNANE (Loughrea AC)
Event: 20km walk. Age: 29. PB: 1:30.29.
In the absence of defending silver medallist Gillian O'Sullivan the spotlight falls on the Galway athlete. She took 12th place in Paris two years ago, but the traumas going on around her in Athens last year upset her focus, and she dropped out. Although it took her a long time to get going again, her 1:32.28 clocking in the Phoenix Park back in June suggests she is capable of another top-15 finish. - 20km walk final, tomorrow, 9.35 am
EILEEN O'KEEFFE (Kilkenny City Harriers)
Event: hammer. Age: 24. PB: 69.36.*
The most exciting performer of the summer, ending her Helsinki build-up with another Irish record last weekend, just a week after extending it to 68.14 at the national championships. Self-coached and entirely self-motivated, her rise comes against all the odds, and started when her brother bought a set of coaching videos in the local pound shop. Now within striking distance of the 70m mark, and a place in the final. - Hammer qualification, Wednesday,noon
