McCarthy survives a rough ride

THERE WAS a moment in the still of Barcelona yesterday, when we wondered, if it wasn’t for bad luck, would the Irish athletes have any luck at all?

First, we witnessed Olive Loughnane cruelly forced out of the 20km walk – then, we arrived at the Olympic Stadium to witness David McCarthy almost forced off the track in his 800 metres heat. What had they done to deserve this?

McCarthy had just executed the perfect tactic, surging to the front with 300 metres to go, in search of a top-three automatic qualifying place. Approaching the final bend, the lanky Dutch runner Robert Lathouwers suddenly tried to burst past on the inside. Hopelessly boxed, Lathouwers veered off the track, took a shortcut across the pole vault pit, before rejoining the race — practically assaulting McCarthy in the process.

“Someone said he was brushing up on his Gaelic football skills,” McCarthy later declared. “Some off-the-ball tactics. He just knocked me completely out of my stride and I never got back to the speed I’d been at. But I could see it happening. He was intent on hitting me, and I was very angry at the finish, went over and had a word in his ear.”

It didn’t exactly come to blows, but it could easily have. Lathouwers had gone on to win, but was disqualified – while McCarthy ended up fifth in 1:49.53. He’d a nervous wait before realising that would still see him progress to this evening’s semi-finals, as one of the four fastest losers.

Earlier, we’d arrived at Ciutadella Parc in the heart of the old city, half-hoping, half-expecting that Loughnane could repeat her medal winning performance from last year’s World Championships. Instead, she only got about a quarter-way through the 20km walk, before, unfortunately, having to make a run for it. To the toilet, that is.

Minutes later, we found her on the side of the Paseo de Picasso, talking on a mobile phone. Clearly, Loughnane’s race was over. She tried to be polite and referred to a stomach bug, to being just totally depleted. But when she said the only food she could actually stomach for past couple of days was Imodium, we knew exactly what she was talking about.

“I had to try, and I did try,” she said, “but it just wasn’t possible. And when I say it’s not possible, it’s not possible. I’ve had these stomach problems, on and off, for a few weeks.

“I thought I was over them, and then when I went to the training camp here, they reoccurred. I thought I’d manage, but once into the race, my stomach wasn’t holding out.

“Sometimes, it’s a very fine line when you’re that fit, to stay on the right side of health. I’d say I’m just more susceptible. But when your body’s not able there’s nothing you can do. I’m very strong mentally, but if the fuel is not there, you’re just depleted.”

It was a disappointing sight to see the World Championship silver medallist forced out so early, but that’s championships for you.

“I have had a lot of luck,” added Loughnane, “and you need a bit of luck. Today was bad luck. But that’s life. I’ve great support and a great family. It’s bitterly disappointing. I feel bad for them, but nobody puts me under as much pressure as I do. That’s why I had to start, to try.

“I’ve been in such great shape. And I suppose I could have gone through the motions, but I set such a high standard last year that it’s hard to go through the motions.”

At 32, Loughnane has at least a couple more years at the top of her sport – although the standards are rising all the time. The Russian trio of Olga Kaniskina Anisya Kirdyapkina, and Vera Sokolova won a clean sweep of medals.