Gillick keeps open mind ahead of World Championships

Athletics News: David Gillick is still hoping to join the Irish team at next month's World Indoor Championships in Moscow.

Although he hasn't run a 400-metre race this year, the European Indoor champion over the distance is keeping an open mind on Moscow but must make a final decision before the weekend.

Gillick has departed for two weeks' warm-weather training in Florida, and his selection for Moscow is ultimately in the hands of Athletics Ireland - who had hoped he would prove himself over 400 metres at least once before the World Indoors, which take place from March 10 to 12th.

Yesterday his coach Jim Kidd admitted Moscow was still a definite possibility.

"We both feel he ran very well at the weekend when winning the national indoors over 200 metres," said Kidd. "But we said we'd wait 48 hours or so and let things calm down before deciding on Moscow.

"To be honest it wasn't in our thinking earlier on, and it would take us off our original pathway, but sometimes you have to be flexible on these things.

"He is running strong, and feeling very good mentally and physically, and even if he does decide to go it wouldn't interrupt too much with our main goal for the year, which is the European championships in Gothenburg next summer."

Athletics Ireland will finalise their team this Saturday after the National Cross Country championships, to be staged in Santry.

Definitely set to travel is Derval O'Rourke, whose 7.90 seconds over the 60-metre hurdles on Sunday ranks her sixth in the world, while Alistair Cragg has reiterated his intention to contest the 3,000 metres despite some concerns over his form.

James Nolan has also confirmed his intention to compete over 1,500 metres.