Athletics:As in any sport athletics can drop you from hero to zero practically overnight and Derval O'Rourke had that look about her after the semi-finals of the 100 metre hurdles. It wasn't so much that she finished last, nor the disappointing time, but more the way she was made to look so ordinary in an event she had so impressively conquered last year.
On the night the tag of World Indoor champion and European silver medallist counted for nothing, as O'Rourke was totally outclassed by her seven opponents. And this in only a semi-final. It's a worrying scenario a year out from the Beijing Olympics and it's hard to imagine how she can close the gap within that time.
"Maybe I just needed to have a s*** year to get me ready for the Olympics," she said, somewhat philosophically, but also with a sense of painful realisation of the daunting challenge at hand.
"I've had some problems this year. Obviously they affected me a bit more than I thought they would. But it's not the Olympics. I had a really good year last year, and I just need to build-up again. And I think it will be a lot more low-key now.
"I just wasn't good enough tonight. I just have to accept that, and get tougher for the Olympics next year.
"I never lost my faith, but it is disappointing. More consistent running coming into this would have given me more confidence. And maybe missing indoors was a bigger thing than I realised as well. But I learnt from the injury, and I think you can learn more in the hard years than the good years."
Consistency has been her problem all year, and with a best of only 12.88 seconds this summer - well off the 12.72 she ran in Gothenburg to win her European silver - she was always up against it. Yet no one expected her to be outrun the way she was, with the American and defending champion Michelle Perry winning her race in 12.55, ahead of 2003 champion Perdita Felicien of Canada, who ran 12.61.
O'Rourke was eighth and last in 12.98, despite getting a reasonable start. And 12.68, quicker than O'Rourke's best, was required to make the final, leaving her the slowest of the 16 semi-finalists.
"Yeah, but I still think I'm good enough to run those times at some stage. I got a great start, but that's life. I'll move on. I'll do some more races, and then take a little holiday, get away from everything, and make a plan for next year, to come back and be in the final of the Olympics."
With that she promptly left the mixed zone and faced into an inevitable period of uncertainty. Yet there is unquenchable fighting spirit in the Cork athlete and at 26 she's far from finished yet, and deep down she'll know that.
Back on the track there were several world titles up for grabs, and two of them went to Kenya in the most emphatic style possible - starting with the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase. But then what other nation can afford to leave their best athlete at home (the world-leader Paul Koech, who only managed fourth in their trials) and still win a sweep of medals in this most testing of events?
After some typically unselfish team-work and shuffle-like efficiency the gold medal went to Brimin Kipruto, who clocked 8:13.85, just ahead of Ezekiel Kemboi and Richard Mateelong - before all three danced around on a lap of honour. It was only the second time after 1997 that Kenya officially won all three medals, although two years ago former compatriot Siaf Shaheen, who now runs for Qatar, led two Kenyans home, but who missed out this time with injury.
Later Janeth Jepkosgei proved an even more impressive a winner of the women's 800 metres, leading from gun to tape and clocking 1:56.04, the fastest in the world this year. She devoured the track with incredible ease, somewhat reminiscent of former Kenyan great at the distance Paul Ereng, her former coach. Three-time former champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique dropped out with 80 metres to go, clearly past her best at age 34.
The one world record that everybody anticipated at these champions never materialised, however, when Yelena Isinbayeva, Russia's reigning pole vault champion, failed at all three attempts at 5.02 metres to better the 5.01 set when winning the title two years ago.
Naturally she still won gold again with a best of 4.80, ahead of the Czech Katerina Badurova and rival Russian Svetlana Feofanova. Another good day for Russians saw them claim a clean sweep in the women's long jump with Tatyana Lebedeva winning with a 7.03-metre effort from Lyudmila Kolchanova, and Tayana Kotova in bronze position.
Finally, Kerron Clement was class winner of the men's 400 metres hurdles, producing a season-leading time of 47.61, with former Olympic champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic still running well to take silver and Marek Plawgo setting a Polish record of 48.12 for bronze. The crowds may be a little down on some previous World Championships but so far the level of competition is certainly not.
