Day 7 Berlin

Straight to the bed at the end of day 7 putting this together as we head into the final days . Yesterday was always going to be about David Gillick in the 400m final an enormous achievment in itself the first Irish sprint athlete to find and work himself to this position in a world championship. The usual story headed off with him on the bus to warm up showed him a few texts that had come in from key people no talk he tuned into the music . Warm up begins and then the heavens open so its head for cover grab a bin bag from a friendly German volunteer cover up and try to figure it out . The programme is being re arranged a 40 minutes delay so we all move inside to an indoor area . Not a bother David stretches out on a towel and its our job to watch the programme update . Eventually its time to hit the road and he is ready blasts out finishes 6th you will have your opinion on that whether he went out too fast or not etc . First European and after all the hub with the press you get the chance of a few quiet words explain that other than the big 2 from U S going forward and its now about that going forward next year the Europeans in Barcelona the opportunity is there and beyond to London . He thanks me for the manner in which i have handled the previous days and the atmosphere that was created low key, relaxed, organised etc. not always easy but we had it bang on this time.

It's been a long day as we had two 50k walkers on early morning neither finished. I meet Greg Allen high in the stand at the media centre and we go straight into a lengthy interview for RTE radio about this championship the highs and lows the state of the sport and so on . Hopefully i handled okay. He is knowledgable about the sport cares about the sport so questions are good .

Athletes are leaving now i have just sen Derval Paul Olive and David off as they have a committment to Croke Park tomorrow at half time in the Tyrone-Cork game to acknowledge 125 years of the Gaa and the special historic relationship athletics and the Gaa enjoy . Its important to understand that the Gaa was founded by men who were predominately athletics people hence the Gaelic athletics Association . I had thought we should have acknowledged this at local level in Donegal something between the athletics and Gaa athletics Boards but the initiative does not seem to be there.

Anyhow its back home in a few days pick up the normal day to day stuff and hope that one daay we can qualify an athlete out of the area for a championship of this calibre . Is that likely not sure as there needs to be some sort of getting together on a more frequent basis of the best to train together to learn and to be motivated as isolation tends to lead to certainly limited progress . Training partners of a certain level are required to help develop the individual and in an area of very limited coaching expertise club coaches can be upskilled in such an environment .

I have been on the road with Irish teams since 1992 seen many come and go dealt with national teams at every conceivable level and i continue to be impressed by the desire and positive attitude of these young Irish . Yesterday John Treacy called to the team hotel to visit the team an appropriate person in charge of the Irish Sports council as a legend of this sport and he clearly cares . WE discussed possible cutback in the current climate of spend but this conversation mainly centred on retention of current support underlining the absolute fact that the ISC have been pro active in recent years in their support for the sport and every indication is that it just takes years to produce high performers and thus this week 3 athletes in top 6 in the world.
In parellel to these world athletic championships i have continually updated you on the progress of Jason Quigley in the European youths boxing here also in Berlin well the answer and i give you it word for word 'Patsy hes da european champ 6-1' from his father Conor who coaches him . I watch Jason train day on day at Finn Valley i monitor quietly his attitude and desire the approach of his Dad, mother and friends in the club as they look after all the kids its exemplary and i am delighted for not only Jason but them all . Watch this space in the years ahead as he endeavours to build on this .

Better hit the road again and sign off for now will sum up the final few days before my departure Monday for home via Derry .


Patsy Mc Gonagle
Chair High Performance
Athletics Ireland
0872226112
patsymcgonagle@hotmail.com

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