Sport

Derval O’Rourke could yet get Gothenburg bronze

Leevale hurdler might benefit from drug charges brought against gold-medalist Nevin Yanit of Turkey

Derval O’Rourke (right) crosses the line in fourth, behind first-placed Nevin Yanit of Turkey and third-placed Veronica Borsi from Italy in the final of the Women’s 60m Hurdles at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Derval O’Rourke (right) crosses the line in fourth, behind first-placed Nevin Yanit of Turkey and third-placed Veronica Borsi from Italy in the final of the Women’s 60m Hurdles at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Fri May 03 2013 - 19:37

Derval O’Rourke may be promoted to the bronze medal position from last March’s women’s 60m hurdles final at the European Indoor Championships after the winner, her old nemesis Nevin Yanit of Turkey, was charged with doping violations.

Yanit was charged along with compatriot Asli Cakir Alp-tekin, the reigning 1500m Olympic champion, and both cases will be heard by the Turkish Athletic Federation.

Yanit set a new national record in Gothenburg when finishing ahead of silver medallist Alina Talay of Bulgaria and Veronica Borsi of Italy. O’Rourke, in posting a season’s best of 7.95 seconds, finished just 0.01secs behind Borsi.

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However, she could yet be upgraded to third if Yanit is found guilty of the charges.

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“I ran it to win it,” she said at the time, “not to come second, or third. Now, having said that, I would have loved to have won a medal. I actually thought I had silver. I’d just love them to change the photo finish. I don’t like not winning medals.”

She added: “I knew Yanit was the one to beat, that’s what I tried to do, and just came up short. And it’s not being arrogant, but I don’t believe any of those three girls are better than me. I find that very frustrating. But without that I wouldn’t be the runner I am. Because I came here because I believed I had a chance of winning. And I was never going to hide from it . . .”

It was O’Rourke’s best indoor time since 2006, when she ran 7.84 to win the World indoors; quicker than 2011, when she also finished fourth at the championships, and also 2009, when she won bronze.