Gillick is the star attraction

ATHLETICS EUROPEAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:THE THOUGHT of three Irish athletes arriving at a major championship ranked in medal-winning positions seems a long way from the Beijing Olympics – which is exactly what the European Indoors are. That's not to say it's not worth getting excited about them.

It’s only appropriate, too, that those three athletes – David Gillick, Derval O’Rourke and Mary Cullen – are here on a sort of mission of redemption for what happened in Beijing. Or rather for what didn’t happen. Although that’s only part of their motivation.

Gillick, in fact, finds himself centre stage as he attempts to become the first athlete in the 30 editions of these championships to win three European Indoor 400-metres titles in succession. If he pulls that off it will be a superb achievement by any standards.

No surprise then that Gillick was rolled out for the pre-event press conference in Turin yesterday, along with the man most likely to stand in the way of his three-in-a-row: Italy’s Claudio Licciardello. That final tomorrow evening, should they both make it, is likely to raise the roof of the 7,000-seater Turin Oval which was built for the speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Gillick may have history on his side, but Licciardello will certainly have the crowd.

Yet Gillick’s build-up to Turin couldn’t have been more low-key. He’s only raced once, in Düsseldorf back on February 13th, and while he ran an impressive 46.18 seconds (and beat Licciardello) he’s been cautious about making any predictions.

“I sort of feel I have to prove myself all over again,” he says, an obvious reference to his first-round exit in Beijing. It was several weeks later before Gillick realised he’d been suffering from the human hand-foot-mouth virus which had unquestionably hindered his performance, yet he’s still conscious about leveraging that as an excuse.

“I’m just excited about getting out there to see what I can do. Anyone who partakes in sport knows you’ll have up-days and down-days. You have that in life. Everyone has their bad days. But you have to regroup and come back at it.

“If you’ve fallen out of love and the enjoyment of it then fair enough, do something else. But if you still get the nerves and the excitement, you know that’s why you’re doing it to begin with. And at the end of the day these are major championships, major medals, and not many people can say they’ve got them.”

Truth is Licciardello will start as marginal favourite – not only because of the home advantage. After Düsseldorf, he ran 46.03 to win the Italian championships, the fastest by a European this season. Gillick is ranked second with his 46.18, though he looked to have more in the tank on that occasion. If he comes close to repeating the 45.52 he ran to win gold in Birmingham two years ago then he’ll definitely win.

Typical of indoors, Gillick faces a tough schedule, with the heats and semi-final today, and the final tomorrow evening (6.55pm Irish-time).

It’s an even more demanding schedule for O’Rourke – with the 60 metres hurdles heats, semi-final and final all down for decision today. The least of O’Rourke’s ambitions is to make that final this evening (7.40pm Irish-time), and there is good reason to believe she will. If so then she’s got to be in with a fighting chance of a medal.

Just last Thursday in Prague she ran her season’s best of 7.99 seconds – her fastest since the dream winter of 2006, when she was World Indoor champion. That leaves her second fastest of the entries in Turin. The favourite Josephine Onyia of Spain (7.95) has withdrawn, leaving O’Rourke behind Eline Berings of Belgium (7.97). So, it will be close.

Ireland’s third medal-ranked athlete is Mary Cullen, the second fastest in Europe over 3,000 metres, and the final of which is set for Sunday. Cullen’s motivation for being here is that she missed out on Beijing altogether after a series of injuries in the early part of last year. Now back fitter, stronger, and healthier, Cullen has looked superb since finishing an excellent fourth in the European Cross Country in Brussels back in December.

The highlight came in Boston last month when she improved Sonia O’Sullivan’s Irish record to 8:43.74. The only European to run quicker than that this season is Russia’s Anna Alminova with her stunning 8:28.49.

However, Alminova is chasing a 1,500-3,000 metres double, and that makes things a little more interesting. Cullen isn’t a particularly quick finisher and will want an honest pace, and while she’s unlikely to handle the Russian, the next best in the field are Jessica Augusto and Sara Moreira – the former finishing in the medals in Brussels ahead of Cullen. Her coach Ray Treacy says she’s in “spectacular shape” and come Sunday evening Ireland may well be celebrating a third medal.

Ireland also has some other outsiders, at least of making finals – such as Paul Hession in the 60 metres and Roisín McGettigan in the 1,500 metres.

There’s just no denying Gillick is the headline act.

• ON TV: Friday:Eurosport: 3pm-6pm; RTÉ2: 11.25pm-12.15am. Saturday: BBC2: 2pm-5.05pm; RTÉ2: 10.40pm-11.40pm. Sunday: BBC2: 2pm-5.10pm; RTÉ2: 10.55pm-11.55pm.

IRISH ATHLETES IN TURIN

MEN

PAUL HESSION – 60 metres:

Indoor best: 6.61; season best: 6.69;

European ranking: 23rd; European leader: 6.51, Dwain Chambers (GB).

DAVID GILLICK – 400 metres:Indoor best: 45.52; season best: 46.18; European ranking: 2nd; European leader: 46.03, Claudio Licciardello (Italy).

DAVID McCARTHY – 800 metres:Indoor best; 1:49.12; season best: 1:49.20; European ranking: 18th; European leader: 1:45.96, Yuriy Borzakovskiy (Rus).

WOMEN

AILIS McSWEENEY – 60 metres:Indoor best: 7.37; season best: 7.43; European ranking 22nd; European leader: 7.18, Anna Geflikh (Rus).

NIAMH WHELAN – 60 metres:Indoor best: 7.49; season best: 7:49; European ranking 25th; European leader: 7.18: Anna Geflikh (Rus).

MARIAN ANDREWS – 400 metres:Indoor best: 54.20; season best: 54.20; European ranking 13th; European leader: 50.55, Antonina Krivoshapka (Rus).

BRONAGH FURLONG – 400 metres:Indoor best: 54.60; season best; 54.60; European ranking 17th; European leader: 50.55, Antonina Krivoshapka (Rus).

ROISIN McGETTIGAN – 1,500 metres:Indoor best: 4:11.31; season best: 4:11.31; European ranking 13th; European leader: 4:01.77, Nuiria Fernandez (Spain).

MARY CULLEN – 3,000 metres:Indoor best: 8:43.74; season best: 8:43.74; European ranking 2nd; European leader: 8:28.49, Anna Alminova (Rus).

DEIRDRE BYRNE – 3,000 metres:Indoor best: 9:04.7; season best: 9:04.71; European ranking 15th; European leader: 8:28.49, Anna Alminova (Rus).

DERVAL O'ROURKE – 60 metres hurdles:Indoor best: 7:84; season best: 7.99; European ranking 3rd; European leader: 7.95, Josephine Onyia (Sp).

DEIRDRE RYAN – High Jump: Indoor best: 1.93 m; season best: 1.93; European ranking: 9th European leader: 2:05, Blank Vlasic (Cro)/Ariane Friedrich (Ger).

KELLY PROPER – Long Jump:Indoor best: 6.44m; season best: 6.44; European ranking 15th; European leader: 6.84, Juliya Golubchikova (Rus)/Silke Spiegelburg (Ger).

ZOE BROWN – Pole Vault:Indoor best: 4.20 m; season best: 4.20; European ranking 18th; European leader, 4.71: Olga Kucherenko (Rus).

4X400M RELAY – Marian Andrews;Bronagh Furlong; Gemma Hynes; Claire Bergin; Christine McMahon; Jessica Zebo (no ranking).

DAY ONE

60M (H) Round 1:
08.45 - Derval O'Rourke
400M Round 1:
09.45 - Bronagh Furlong/
Marian Andrews
400M Round 1:
10.15 - David Gillick
Long Jump Quals:
11.15 - Kelly Proper
60M (H) Semi-Final:
14.45 - Derval O'Rourke
Pole Vault Quals:
14.50 - Zoe Brown
800M Round 1:
15.55 - David McCarthy
1,500M Round 1:
16.25 - Roisin McGettigan 400M Semi-Final:
16.45 - Bronagh Furlong/
Marian Andrews
400M Semi-Final:
17.05 - David Gillick
60M (H) Final:
17.40 - Derval O'Rourke
* All times are Irish. Add one hour for local time in Turin.