By John Haughey BBC Sport

Paul McKee plans to compete at the World Indoors in Budapest

Paul McKee's world indoor bronze stands out as the highlight but there were many other commendable performances by Northern Ireland athletes in 2003.

Fine form over the summer ensured that Gareth Turnbull and Paul Brizzel joined McKee in the Irish team for the World Championships in Paris.

James McIlroy was a frustrated absentee from the worlds after getting it badly-wrong at the British trials.

However, McIlroy did manage to produce a new 800m best a week later in Zurich.

Indeed, McIlroy produced his most encouraging summer campaign since his debut season in 1998 and looks well-placed to earn a place in the British team for the Athens Olympics.

After a quiet opening two months, Irish athletics was rocked in early March when news came through of a failed drugs test for 1500m runner Gerardine Hendricken.

The Carlow athlete protested her innocence and it was later confirmed that the supplement that she had been using contained the banned substance nandrolone which wasn't listed in the ingredients.

But while this was news to Hendricken, the IAAF's strict liability policy applied and it was no surprise when a two-year ban was confirmed in September.

After that shock, Irish athletics needed a lift and McKee certainly provided it at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

A hamstring problem picked up while training in May affected McKee's entire summer

Prior to the championships, McKee had seemed at best a long-shot to reach the final but he produced brilliant heat performances along with compatriot David McCarthy to qualify for the decider.

In the final, the Belfastman upped his game again to cross the line in a photo-finish for third with home athlete Jamie Baulch.

Initially, the organisers announced that the Irishman had been edged out for the medal but a protest caused that decision to be over-turned and McKee was awarded a joint-bronze later in the afternoon.

That meant he had missed out on the official medal ceremony but the affable Belfastman wasn't complaining after setting yet another Irish record of 45.99.

After that performance, McKee seemed on course to better his Irish outdoor record set in 2002 but a hamstring problem picked up while training in May affected his entire summer.

The world indoor medalist was never able to run freely during the outdoor campaign and, despite retaining his national title, even considered pulling out of the Paris games.

In the event, he decided to give it a go but his first round exit was little surprise.

Turnbull and Brizzel, in particular, had much more satisfying championships in Paris.

Paul Brizzel has qualified for the Athens Olympics

200m man Brizzel managed to make it beyond the opening round for the first time at an outdoor major and then was inches away from claiming a remarkable semi-final place.

Nevertheless, a splendid time of 20.56 meant that he had achieved the Olympic Games standard and barring injury, the Ballymena man will be in Athens next August.

Turnbull also has high hopes of being in the Greek capital - particularly given that the IAAF recently relaxed the 1500m A standard to 3:36.20.

The Loughborough-based Turnbull clocked 3:36.60 during the year and will feel confident that he can join the already-qualified James Nolan in Athens.

Turnbull and Nolan were involved in the domestic duel of the year at the Irish Nationals in August when the Belfast runner claimed a win which earned him his Paris slot.

The St Malachy's clubman ran well to progress from the first round heats in Paris and while the semi-final pace proved too hot, Turnbull will surely have gained from the experience.

He now needs an injury-free start to 2004 after being out for nearly three months in the later part of the year because of a groin injury.

Undoubted Irish hero in Paris was Gillian O'Sullivan who claimed a superb silver medal in the 20K walk.

Sonia O'Sullivan's performance in Paris was a sad sight

The Kerry woman will have huge hopes of claiming another gong in Athens.

Prospects don't look as good for her namesake Sonia O'Sullivan who struggled for the majority of 2003.

Her losing contact with the main bunch in the 5000m final in Paris brought back memories of that horrible experience in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

O'Sullivan vowed to fight on and later in the year took fourth place at the European Cross Country Championships which helped Ireland claim the team silver.

Also running in Edinburgh was another veteran Catherina McKiernan who will continue her comeback efforts in 2004.

Other medals in 2003 came from youngsters Paul Hession (World Student 200m bronze), Joanne Cuddihy (European Junior 400m silver) and Rob Connolly (European U23 5000m bronze).

From the committee rooms came news that Athletics Ireland had pulled out of plans to stage the 2005 European Cross Country after failing to get sufficient funding from the government.