Door is left open for Gillick

ATHLETICS EUROPEAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:DAVID GILLICK was a notable absentee from the Ireland team named yesterday for next month's European Indoor championships in Turin. However, the Dublin athlete still intends challenging for a third successive 400-metre title and is certain to be added to the team once he proves his fitness in his first race of the season.

In the meantime 12 athletes have been selected for the championships, which run from March 6th-8th – and surprisingly the team is made up of just one man, Paul Hession, and 11 women, including a development 4x400-metre relay team.

Gillick was at the National Indoor championships in Belfast at the weekend, although not to race. He confirmed his interest in Turin, saying his training was going well and that Birmingham on Saturday week will be the start of a short race programme.

He raced similarly sparingly en route to winning his second successive European Indoor title two years ago, following his breakthrough success in Madrid in 2005, and Athletics Ireland have left the window open for selection until March 1st. But it means Hession is, so far, Ireland’s only male qualifier, down for the 60 metres.

Marian Andrews and Brona Furlong were both named in the women’s 400 metres, as were Mary Cullen and Deirdre Byrne in the 3,000 metres, while Róisín McGettigan goes in the 1,500 metres having run an Irish indoor mile record of 4:30.06 at the weekend.

Derval O’Rourke is named in the 60-metre hurdles, Kelly Proper in the long jump and Deirdre Ryan the high jump – with Gemma Hynes, Claire Bergin and Christine McMahon completing the relay squad along with Andrews and Furlong.

Irish Team, European Indoor championships:Men – 60 m: P Hession (Athenry); Women – 400 m: M Andrews (Togher AC), B Furlong (Slaney Olympic); 1,500 m: R McGettigan (Sli Cualainn); 3,000 m: D Byrne (Sli Cualainn), M Cullen (Sligo); 60 m hurdles: D O'Rourke (Leevale); High Jump: D Ryan (UCD); Long Jump: K Proper (Ferrybank); 4 x 400 m relay: Andrews, Furlong (Slaney Olympic), G Hynes (Galway CH), C Bergin (Dundrum SD), C McMahon (Ballymena).