 Turnbull hopes to race again in the late part of the summer |
Injury-plagued Gareth Turnbull has ruled out trying to qualify for this year's World Championships in the hope that he can get himself fit for 2006. The Belfast runner has suffered yet another injury-affected winter because of an Achilles injury.
However, Turnbull is now finally making progress and is building towards a return to action in the late summer.
He hopes to compete in the Commonwealth Games in March 2006 and the European Championships later in the year.
"Essentially, the plan would be to have a few races in the late part of the summer and get the Commonwealth Games qualifying time for the 1500m which is 3:40," Turnbull told BBC Sport.
"That could be done in British Milers Club type races rather than having to chase all over Europe like I had to do last summer.
"A time of 3:40 should be well within my capabilities and it won't be a case of chasing 3:36 as I had to last summer.
"To be thinking in terms of this year's World Championships in Helsinki, I would have to be racing hard in July and realistically, that could jeopardise next year when there are championships where I can be very competitive in."
 Alistair Cragg will run in the European Indoor Championships |
Meanwhile, Alistair Cragg has confirmed that he does intend to compete in the European Indoor Championships in Madrid on the first weekend of March.
Cragg beat Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele over 3,000m last weekend in a world leading 7:39.89 although the Ethiopian miscounted the laps which allowed Cragg to sprint past him on the final 200m circuit.
The majority of other athletes hoping to compete in the European Indoors will be in action in this weekend's Irish National Championships in Nenagh.
These include 400m runners David Gillick, David McCarthy and Rob Daly who have all achieved the European standard.
Ballymena sprinter Paul Brizzell will hope to better Gary Ryan's national 60m record of 6.73 at the Tipperary venue.
Ailish McSweeney missed Michele Carroll's long standing Irish record of 7.38 by .01 of a second last weekend and will be up against the rejuvenated Emily Maher in Nenagh.
Maher has clocked 7.42 this season.
Irish Qualifiers for the European Indoors
Ailis McSweeney 60m 7.39
Derval O'Rourke 60m Hurdles 8.15
Deirdre Ryan High Jump 1.90
Paul Hession 200m 21.12
David Gillick 400m 47.28
David McCarthy 400m 47.32
Robert Daly 400m 47.57
Alistair Cragg 3000m 7:39.89
Mark Carroll 3000m 7:46.60
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 