Athletics: Derval O'Rourke's management company confirmed today that the Cork athlete still plans to defend her 60 metres hurdles title at next month's IAAF World Indoors Championships in Valencia, despite reports to the contrary.
Horizon Sports Management, the Dublin-based company who represent O'Rourke, stated the World Indoors (March 7-9) are "very much in her sights despite unfounded reports in some sections of today's media".
It had been reported that the 26-year-old, in consultation with her coach Sean Cahill, took the decision not to defend her title in Spain after disappointing performances in the last week.
By her own standards O'Rourke ran a disappointing third in
8.20seconds at the Sparkassen Indoor meeting in Leipzig on Sunday
following her time of 8.09 in Athens last Wednesday. Both times
were well off her Irish record pace of
7.84.
The sprinter has missed almost four weeks of training
because of a foot injury picked up during the Christmas period and
has struggled to regain full fitness. However, it has emerged a
throat infection upon arrival in the German city on Sunday was the
main problem.
"I came down with a bad throat infection when I arrived in Leipzig," said O'Rourke today through her management company. "I was really lacking in energy and I felt terrible, however I desperately wanted to race, so I just had to get through it."
"I was hoping to build on my good performance in Athens earlier in the week, however these things happen in sport and you just have to suck it up and get on with things. I will be fine in a few days".
O'Rourke has taken a few days off training to recuperate but still plans to race a number of times in Europe over the next fortnight.
"Derval had planned to race in Paris this Friday, but it just depends how she feels. She also hopes to race in Finland next week," Conor Ridge of Horizon told ireland.com.
Despite recent setbacks there is little doubt about O'Rourke's desire to defend her world title. "The foot injury has been frustrating, as I have put so much hard work in since the World Championships in Osaka last August to build myself up for Olympic year," she said.
"However, it has improved greatly in the past three weeks and I am hoping that it will not hamper me in the run up to the World Indoors. All going well, my plan at the moment is to race again a number of times in the next fortnight and hopefully be in good shape to defend my title on March 7th in Spain."