McKiernan happy to be back

ATHLETICS: The first step in Catherina McKiernan's long-awaited return to competitive running ended with a ninth-place finish in yesterday's Lotto Cup cross country in Roeselare, Belgium. It was her first cross country race since January 1998 as a series of injuries over the last four years almost finished her career.

With mixed feelings of relief and satisfaction with the experience, McKiernan also acknowledged that plenty more work was needed if she is to return to the peaks of the mid-1990s, when she won four World Championship silver medals in succession.

"My main aim was just to get through this race," she said. "I'm happy now that I can get better over the next few months, and that I have been able to put all those injuries behind me. So it does give great encouragement for fresh things in the future.

"But it was tough going at times, and I know I'm a long way from being fully fit. I'm looking forward now to getting a few more races before Christmas to really get the feel of racing again."

Victory in the 6.1km race went to Fatiha Baouf, the Moroccan-born Belgian, in 22 minutes, 11 seconds - just under a minute ahead of McKiernan. Two other Belgians, Anja Smoulders and Kim Offergeld, took second and third, with McKiernan clocking 23.08.

"Sure it was a bit of a shock to the system," she added. "I was all right on the hard ground but when we got into the softer conditions the strength that I had before just wasn't there. But I know that will come back when I start running more than just an hour a day."

In the past McKiernan's return to full fitness after briefer periods of injury has been swift, and it may be just a matter of months before the Cavan athlete gets significantly closer to her best.

"At this stage the world cross country championships in Switzerland next March would be my main aim. I still have time to get stronger over the next four months, and I would really like to represent Ireland again. I'm afraid there is still a lot of work to do, but the hunger is definitely still there and that's the most important thing."

It appears unlikely, however, that McKiernan will target the European cross country championships to be held in Croatia on December 8th - a title she won in 1994.

The AAI will finalise the team tomorrow, awaiting both the results of today's American collegiate cross country championships (where a number of Irish are in action), and a confirmation on McKiernan's exact intentions over the coming weeks.