David Gillick Keeping Birmingham Goal To Himself - Athletics Ireland
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David Gillick Keeping Birmingham Goal To Himself

28 February 2007

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62 countries will receive coverage of the event during the weekend from 36 European and 5 non-European broadcasters The Dundrum South Dublin athlete missed the Irish Indoor Championships in the Odyssey through illness but is back in full training. “I was feeling a little under the weather on Thursday night and Friday, so we decided to be cautious and give it a miss. Members of my training group have been sick for a few days, so just I was just playing it safe,” said Gillick from his Loughborough training base. Earlier this month the 23-year-old roared to an impressive victory over a top class field in Dusseldorf. More significantly his winning time of 45.91 seconds was not only an Irish record, displacing Paul McKee’s mark by eight-hundredths of a second, but also the fastest in the World at the time. "I just wanted to get out fast," said Gillick of his surprising performance. "I really didn't know what to expect. It was my first serious indoor race since I won the Euros in Madrid two years ago." Gillick has subsequently been headed in the global rankings by an American but is still the fastest European this winter. Gillick believes neither this nor the fact he is favourite for the title will put him under any additional pressure. “There is always a certain amount of pressure, but I don’t think there'll be any more, its going to be tough, it’s a European champs and I think there is more strength in depth this time around. “We're focusing on the outdoors and all my training is geared towards then, so I don’t feel there'll be any added pressure. Athletics is something I care about, and I always try to do my best, so with that pressure will come, it’s part of the game,” he said. The former Ballinteer gaelic footballer believes his bold decision to relocate to England last September is already bearing dividends. "The big difference this winter has been my move from Dublin to Loughborough, where I'm training with Nick Dakin. The main difference is that I’m living and training in an elite athletics environment, with elite athletes who have similar goals and aspirations as myself. “I have an excellent training group, we push and work off each other in order to get the best out of ourselves. I’ve always wanted to do things as professional as I can, and now I feel I am. ” However Gillick will not be drawn on his target for Birmingham. “I think for me to run to my potential would be a success,” concluded the Irish champion somewhat cryptically. With just two days to go before the start of the Championships, the organizers have revealed that the event is a complete sell-out on each of the three days. The event will be the last major athletics event to be held in Britain before the London Olympics in 2012. There will be record television coverage of the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham, when it was confirmed that 62 countries will receive coverage of the event during the weekend from 36 European and 5 non-European broadcasters. The news, which comes hot on the heels on the announcement that the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in December was watched by a record number of TV viewers, was welcomed by Christian Milz, Director General of European Athletics. “This is great news, and I am very happy to hear that the Championships are being shown in over 62 countries this weekend, particularly when one considers that there are only 50 countries in Europe” he said. “It is further proof of the appeal of the Championship format and of European Athletics in general and I am sure that the millions of TV viewers are be in for a treat from Birmingham” he added. The European Athletics Indoor Championships take place biannually and some 587 athletes from 45 countries are entered for this year's event in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The next edition of the Championships will take place in Turin, Italy in March 2009. The event is supported by SPAR, the long-standing International Partner of European Athletics along with SEIKO, EPSON and EUROVISION. SPAR International has been the Principal Partner of European Athletics since 1996; SEIKO is the Official Timing and Measurement Company for European Athletics Events since 1991; EPSON is European Athletics Technical Partner since 2001; and last year European Athletics has celebrated 25 years of partnership with EBU/EUROVISION.

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