from A.A.I Athletics Ireland has announced the final team selection for the IAAF World Indoor Championships which will take place in Doha, Qatar from the 12-14th of March.
The 14 member squad includes the double Indoor European Champion; David Gillick of Dundrum South Dublin AC. Gillick is currently ranked second in the World’s Top List after his stunning performance at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham where he equalled his own Irish Indoor record of 45.52 seconds. Gillick will go into the championships as a serious medal contender and said “I am delighted with current my form and my performance in my opening race. I am looking forward to getting out there and competing in Doha and running to my potential.” Brian Gregan of Clonliffe Harriers will also line up line the Men’s 400m after recently setting a new personal best of 46.68 seconds in Vienna.
Derval O’Rourke (Leevale AC), who set an Irish Record of 7.84 seconds to take the World Indoor 60m Hurdles title in 2006, is also part of the team. O’Rourke opened up her indoor season at the Woodie’s DIY Senior Indoor Championships, winning her tenth national title in 8.18 seconds. She followed this up by winning the UK Championship in 8.11 seconds. A bout of sickness forced the Cork woman out of the Aviva Grand Prix but she was back in action this weekend in Flora, Norway where she placed second in a seasonal best of 8.00 seconds. After placing fourth at the World Track and Field Championships in Berlin last year, the Cork woman is now focused firmly on making the podium in Doha.
Claire Brady (Celbridge AC) who is now coached by former Irish international sprinter Gary Ryan, will compete in the Women’s 60m. Brady was an impressive winner of the Women’s 60m final at the Senior Indoor Championships, running a personal best of 7.35 seconds.
Ferrybank’s Kelly Proper will compete in the Long Jump after achieving the qualification standard when breaking her own Irish Record at the Vienna Gala jumping 6.62m in January. Proper continued her solid build-up towards the World Indoor Championships in Doha, winning the National Championships with 6.35m and the UK Championships title with a leap of 6.48m.
Deirdre Ryan of DSD has secured her place on the World Team following her display of top form at the French Championships this weekend jumping 1.90m. Ryan had already achieved the qualification standard when setting an Irish Indoor record of 1.93m in Leverkusen, Germany, last year.
Deirdre Byrne of Sli Cualann AC will compete in the 3000m. Byrne achieved the qualification standard at the European Indoor Championships in Turin last year. The Wicklow woman further confirmed her form when winning the national championships in 9.03.52 minutes. Byrne will be joined by Hazel Murphy from DSD AC. Murphy had a superb win at the UK championships in a personal best of 9:02.81, which was inside the qualifying standard for the World Indoor championships.
Following her performance at the National Indoor Championships, Kelly McNeice (City of Lisburn) will compete in the 1500m. McNeice achieved the standard when wining the National 1500m in 4:14.63, vastly improves on her previous indoor best of 4:21.01 from 2007. Rose-Anne Galligan (Newbridge AC) achieved the 1500m qualification standard at the Spanish Championships last weekend. Galligan ran a personal best of 4:12.72 to win her heat, smashing her previous indoor best of 4:15.13 minutes and was well inside the standard of 4.15.00.
David McCarthy of Le Cheile AC, will line up in the Men’s 800m. McCarthy set a personal indoor best at the Indoor Classic in Vienna on the 2nd of February, running 1:48.29. This time was comfortably inside the 1:48.50 qualifying standard for the World Indoor championships.
Athletics Ireland will also be sending a Men’s 4x400m relay team to the championships. The squad includes David Gillick, DSD AC, Brian Gregan, Clonliffe Harriers, David McCarthy, Le Cheile AC, Nick Hogan, DSD AC, Brian Murphy, UCC AC, Billy Ryan, Ferrybank AC and Tim Crowe, Dooneen A.C. David McCarty was a member of the Irish Team that won a bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest in 3:10.44 (Rob Daly, Gary Ryan, David Gillick, David McCarthy).
Patsy MGonagle, Team Manager said “There is one of the largest teams that we have sent to World Indoor championships and includes athletes with real medal potential. The team also has a number of quality emerging athletes who can use these championships as an ideal developmental opportunity to gain experience for the European Championships in Barcelona.”
TEAM SELECTION
Men
David Gillick, DSD AC: 400m
Brian Gregan, Clonliffe Harriers: 400m
David McCarthy, Le Cheile AC: 800m
4x400m Relay: From
David Gillick, DSD AC
Brian Gregan, Clonliffe Harriers
David McCarthy, Le Cheile AC
Nick Hogan, DSD AC
Brian Murphy, UCC AC
Billy Ryan, Ferrybank AC
Tim Crowe, Dooneen A.C.
Women
Claire Brady, Celbridge AC: 60m
Derval O’Rourke, Leevale AC: 60m Hurdles
Kelly McNeice, City of Lisburn: 1500m
Rose-Anne Galligan, Newbridge AC: 1500m
Deirdre Byrne, Sli Chulainn AC: 3000m
Kelly Proper, Ferrybank AC: Long Jump
Deirdre Ryan, DSD AC: High Jump
Team Management
Team Manager: Patsy McGonagle
Coaches: Jim Kidd & Lucy Moore
Physiotherapist: Nessa Smyth