Gillick confident, relaxed and focused in Doha

ATHLETICS WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:STRANGE THAT David Gillick could be found relaxing by an outdoor swimming pool at a hotel in Doha yesterday, resting, focusing, ahead of a World Indoor Athletics Championships. It's been 320C and rising in Qatar this week, with clear, sunny skies, although all the action in Doha this weekend is indoors – and just as well, given that sort of heat – as the 13th edition of these championships open in the super-sized Aspire Dome tomorrow morning.

Gillick is part of a 14-strong Irish team, and, after Derval O’Rourke’s withdrawal last week through injury, represents the only real hope of a medal. This is pressure Gillick is both aware of (given he equalled his indoor record of 45.52 seconds in his only race this season) and also comfortable with (given he’s a two-time European Indoor champion).

But indoor 400-metre running is notoriously unpredictable, and Gillick knows tactics will play as much a part as form.

“No two races are the same indoors,” says Gillick. “I will certainly not allow things to run ahead of schedule. That is the only way you can afford to approach this, because, don’t forget, I’m faced with having to run a heat and semi-final on Friday, and then straight into the final, hopefully, on Saturday. So you have to be strong to handle that schedule.”

The 45.52 Gillick ran in Birmingham last month ranks him the second fastest of the final entries for Doha, behind the American champion Bershawn Jackson, who ran 45.41 (albeit at altitude).

The world-leader, Torrin Lawrence, who ran 45.03, hasn’t travelled due to college commitments, but the other American, Jamaal Torrance, has run 45.76, Chris Brown of the Bahamas has run 46.20 and Australian Sean Wroe has run 45.40 (albeit outdoors). Gillick, in other words, certainly won’t have it his way in the physically demanding, two-lap race.

“I want to be close enough at the bell and then make my move on the back straight,” he explains. “Birmingham, that was inch-perfect, but again no race is ever the same indoors. What you have to think about is that this is a World Championship, not a grand prix race. There’s some substantial prize money, and everyone in that final will be gunning for each other. I know I will have to be strong and be ready to fight my corner.

“But I have been working so hard since my win in Birmingham, that I’m really only now thinking about these championships. I feel I’m in there with a shout of a medal, so I suppose it’s natural to experience excitement, but at the same time I realise the importance of keeping my focus and not be distracted by anything outside of the job I have to do.”

All along Gillick has maintained that the outdoor season – and particularly the European Championships in Barcelona in July – is the priority for 2010, but that’s not to say the indoors can’t be tackled with the same commitment. After his breakthrough summer in 2009 – running sub-45 seconds for the first time with his 44.77, and making the World Championship final in Berlin – he went straight back into hard training at his base in Loughborough University, keen to keep climbing the ladder of world 400-metre running.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I ran in Birmingham, but I felt so strong I could hardly believe it, and to equal my Irish record of 45.52 was very, very satisfying. The thing about it is that it did not feel all that fast, but you can’t afford to get carried away with one race, except that it proved I’m in good shape.

“Breaking 45 seconds last summer, and to do it three times, was a massive boost to my confidence, moreover rubbing shoulders with the cream of the crop.”

So he’s confident, relaxed, and focused – but Gillick won’t need reminding of his experience at the European Indoors in Turin last year, when he was pushed out of it in the semi-final. Clearly, getting through tomorrow’s heats and semi-final will require the perfect combination of tactics and form.

Six of the seven Irish women who qualified are also in action tomorrow, as are Brian Gregan – also in the 400 metres – and David McCarthy in the 800 metres.

Win or lose in the 400 metres final on Saturday, the hope is Gillick will be back to lead the charge in the 400 metres relay final. The heats are on Saturday morning.

On TV: Setanta Ireland; Tomorrow 6.0-8.30; 10.0-16.45; Saturday 6.0-9.50; 12.20-16.30; Sunday: 2.0-4.20.

Tomorrow: Deirdre Ryan, high jump qualification (9.30 local, 6.30 Irish); David Gillick, Brian Gregan, heats 400 metres (9.35/6.35); David McCarthy, 800 metres heats (11.05/8.05); Deirdre Byrne, Hazel Murphy, heats 3,000 metres (2.0/11.0); Rose Ann Galligan, Kelly McNeice, heats 1,500 metres (4.30/1.30); Claire Brady, heats 60 metres (6.25/3.25); Semi-finals men’s 400 metres (7.30/4.30).

Saturday: Kelly Proper, long jump qualification (10.0/7.0); 4x400 metre relay heats, from Gillick, Gregan, McCarthy, Nick Hogan, Brian Murphy, Billy Ryan, Tim Crowe (10.0/7.0); 800 metres semi-finals (11.0/8.0); women’s 3,000 metres final (4:55/1.55); women’s high jump final (5.05/2.05); men’s 400 metres final. (6.05/3.05).

Sunday: Women’s 60 metres semi-finals (4.0/1.0); women’s long jump final (4.0/1.0); women’s 1,500 metres final (4.45/1.45); men’s 800 metres final (5.30/2.30); women’s 60 metres final (6.10/3.10); men’s 4x400 metres relay final (6.50/3.50).