Gillick Runs With the Gold

By Cathal Dervan

Gillick out-sprinted Germany’s Bastian Swillims in the final 10 meters to keep the gold medal first won in Madrid two years ago after the intervention of sports psychologist McNulty, and a move to a new training base at Loughborough University in England.

The win guarantees Gillick’s place at the Olympics in Beijing next year, but next up on the agenda are the world championships in Osaka, Japan, this summer.

“This is brilliant, I loved every minute but I’m not getting carried away here,” said Gillick after his indoor victory.

“For me to do well outdoors at world level I’ll have to run under 45 seconds, so I still need to lose half a second and keep working very, very hard.”

The Dubliner moved to England and turned to McNulty for help after a dismal performance at the European outdoor championships in Gothenburg last August.

He admitted how much he owed McNulty after Saturday night’s win in a brilliant time of 45.52, the fifth fastest time indoors by a European and second only to American LeShawn Merritt in the world this year.

“I’m blown away by how much sports psychology has to do with winning, it’s unbelievable,” Gillick told the Irish Independent.

“Maybe in Madrid I didn’t show it but I could barely eat the week beforehand! Two years ago I could get complacent and even if a session was good, bad or ugly it wouldn’t matter. Now I know if I get smoked in a session in Loughborough I’m going to hear all about it, so that’s not going to happen.”

Wild celebrations were the order for Gillick afterwards when he danced around the Birmingham arena with an Irish rugby fan’s jesters hat on his head and he confessed, “I know, I lost it! I know I’m going to look at it on TV and think, ‘Oh God!’

“But, over the past two years, I didn’t back up Madrid and I’d gone to Loughborough which wasn’t an easy decision. I really miss home so after all that I really wanted to win.”

Gillick is due to depart for Los Angeles on March 23 for a month of warm weather training.

Celestial Wave Out

TRAINING novice and former Gold Cup winning jockey Adrian Maguire has suffered Cheltenham heartache after Celestial Wave was ruled out of the World Hurdle next Thursday.

Meath man Maguire, now set up as a trainer in Cork, was expected to feature strongly with Celestial Wave in the soft going as he seeks a first Cheltenham win on the other side of the saddle.

“I am devastated, but when you look at the bigger picture it could have been a whole lot worse,” he told the BBC. “She is a young mare who is on the up, but at least she lives to fight another day.”

Irish hopes for the festival, which starts next Tuesday, have been hit by a series of high-profile withdrawals.

Reigning Gold Cup champion War of Attrition, last year’s runner-up Hedgehunter and rising star In Comp-liance have all been ruled out of the blue riband.

War of Attrition was pulled out over the weekend as injury put paid to his Cheltenham hopes after he was found to have heat in his leg following an exercise session.

“Everything has hit me as I lost my mother on Friday night as well. I’ve got to get my head around it all myself. I’m devastated,” said trainer Mouse Morris.

“The horse has heat in his leg, but was sound. He is not lame or anything. We had it scanned and he needs to rest. Hopefully, he’ll be back next season.”

Owner Michael O’Leary said, “I would like to thank Mouse Morris and his team for the great work they have done with War Of Attrition during the season.

“I am desperately sorry that despite all their hard work he won’t be returning to defend the Gold Cup this year.

“We all hope that with sufficient rest and treatment he will return to racing next year. We know he couldn’t be in better hands than with Mouse and his team.”

Ruby Walsh has announced that he will partner the highly fancied Brave Inca in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next Tuesday after trainer Paul Nicholls opted to run Desert Quest in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle.

More Money

THE FAI has announced record prize-money for the new eircom League season when the prize-fund will top ¤1m for the first time.

Eircom League Chair-man Paddy McCaul said, “This season our clubs will compete for a prize fund that is worth in excess of ¤1 million, a massive rise from the ¤98,000 that was on offer two years ago.

“The league will also benefit from a ¤500,000 marketing campaign and for the first time there will be a genuine effort made by every club to integrate with their local communities.”

Unionist Proposal

ULSTER Unionist politician and former MP David Burnside is interested in putting a consortium of London based investors together to buy Glasgow Rangers from owner David Murray.

Burnside told Scotland on Sunday, “I know quite a lot of people in the City of London and a number of them have told me they would be interested in buying Rangers if the chance came up.

“We would not be interested in anything hostile. It would be up to David Murray to declare himself ready to sell and as yet I have not spoken to him about it.”

Soccer Shorts

ARMAGH footballer Enda McNulty is in talks with Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill about working with the Premiership club as their new sports psychologist. McNulty is a graduate in psychology from Queens University and sports science from the University of Ulster, and helped title holder David Gillick in his successful preparations for the European Indoor Championships in Birmingham last weekend . . .

IRISH under-21 international Mark Yeates wants to turn his loan move from Tottenham to Leicester into a permanent deal. Yeates said, “I have been really impressed since I came to the club and I have been made to feel really welcome. I have another year left on my contract at Spurs, but I want to be playing regularly and these are exciting times at Leicester.” . . .

THE first Dublin derby of the season has been rescheduled in an effort to avoid crowd trouble, with Bohemians now meeting Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park on Tuesday, April 3. Police requested the change as they fear Welsh thugs, in Dublin for the historic European Champ-

ionship tie at Croke Park, could target the volatile game . . .

IRELAND relinquished their hold on the Madeira under-21 tournament last weekend when they were beaten 1-0 by Portugal in their final game. Ipswich defender Michael Synnott picked up a foot injury in the tournament which will sideline him for at least a month . . .

LINFIELD midfielder Chris Kingsberry has moved to Bohemians ahead of the new eircom League season that kicks off with Friday night’s televised clash at home to Drogheda . . .

CAPTAIN Michael Spillane scored a late winner as Ireland’s under-18s defeated hosts Portugal to clinch the four-nations invitational tournament trophy in Lisbon on Sunday . . .

LONGFORD Town have signed winger Mark Rutherford from St. Patrick’s Athletic and defender Pat Sullivan from Drogheda United . . .

WATERFORD United have signed striker Dave Warren and agreed a new short-term deal with American goalkeeper Ben Spicer . . .

DERRY City have signed striker Peter Hynes from Newry City and taken Swedish goalkeeper Ola Tidman on loan . . .

VERSATILE former Sligo and Athlone striker Steve Feeney has signed for Monaghan United . . .

FORMER Derry City defender Pascal Vaudequin is the favorite to replace Rob McDonald as manager of Sligo Rovers after the English quit the club on Monday night, just four days before the Premier Division opener away to Galway United . . .

NEW Derry City manager Pat Fenlon has completed the signing of former Republic of Ireland international Alan Moore and Swedish goalkeeper Ola Tidman.