Gillick's medal bid fails
30/07/2010 - 21:33:05David Gillick's attempt to win Ireland's first medal at the European Championships ended in disappointment tonight as he finished fifth in the 400m final.
The Dubliner, ranked second fastest on 2010 form, failed to kick on in the home straight when the pressure came from Belgium's Jonathan Borlee, in lane three, and French front runner Leslie Djhone to his right.
Gillick made a confident start in lane four and was well in the hunt as the field approached the final bend, but as they locked horns in the closing 100 metres, the Irish record holder was unfortunately found wanting.
Djhone faded somewhat, but British duo Martyn Rooney and Michael Bingham brilliantly maintained their bid for medals in the outer lanes.
Russian youngster Vladimir Krasnov also held something in reserve for the final 50 metres, but their efforts were topped by the fast-finishing Kevin Borlee, Jonathan's twin brother, who was a surprise winner in a season's best time of 45.08 seconds.
Gillick, who looked relaxed and strong in the closing stages of his heat and semi-final, stretched for the line in a desperate fight for the other medals.
However, he did not have the legs this time and was too far behind, leaving Bingham to pip Gillick's training partner Rooney for silver, with both athletes timing 45.23.
Krasnov was just run out of the medals in 45.24, while Gillick, arguably Ireland's best hope of a podium finish in Barcelona, had to console himself with fifth.
His finishing time of 45.28 was half-a-second slower than his national record (44.77), and a huge disappointment considering the sort of form he has shown throughout the summer.
He has been breaching the 45-second barrier with encouraging regularity and as he said in the aftermath, this was very much "a missed opportunity".
To miss out on a medal at both the World Indoor Championships - he was disqualified in the 400m final in Doha last March - and now the Europeans will leave a bitter taste.
2010 was a year of much promise for the recently-turned 27-year-old, who finished sixth at last year's Worlds in Berlin.
Gillick reflected afterwards: "It's very disappointing, I'm gutted. Everyone had a chance after the semi-finals, and a medal were there for the taking.
"I tensed up too much. Didn't let it flow, and then it was just a chase to the line - the form book goes out the window.
"It just wasn't my day. It was a mess of a race, I didn't get into my rhythm, didn't get fluent and then I tensed. It's hard to take right now."
Earlier, Fionnuala Britton was 11th in the 3000m steeplechase final.
Paul Henderson set a new Irish record in the 50km walk but had to settle for his second fourth-placed finish of the championships.
Henderson, who was also fourth in the 20km walk, completed the course in three hours 45.30 minutes, just under five minutes behind winner Yohann Diniz of France.
Ireland’s other representative in the event, Colin Griffin, was 11th.
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