Ireland's top athletes have travelled to Barcelona this week to compete in the European Championships, and now perhaps more than ever, medal hopes are high.
The marquee names of David Gillick, Derval O'Rorke, Paul Hession and Allister Cragg are likely to need an improved personal best to come home with gold but there is an even more remarkable member of the travelling party.
23 year old Derryman, Jason Smyth will line out in the 100 meters this afternoon and become the first Paralympian to compete at the championships. Smyth explains his disability: "The quality of my vision is about 10% compared to that of a person with full sight,"
His personal best of 10.32 seconds over the short distance is not likely to be enough to claim a European title, but Smyth's aim will be to qualify from the first heat.
The draw, however, has hurt him as he wil be pitted against the worlds fastest white man, Christophe Lamaitre. Also in the qualification heat are Britain's Mark Lewis Francis and Italian Fabio Cerutti who are both medal contenders. That trio have all recorded faster times this season than Smyth's personal best but he is staying upbeat and looked at the positive aspects:
"It is a tough heat but I am happy that the first round is in the evening rather than the usual early start for the first round of the 100 metre at championships, I am not really a morning person so I will not have to get up too early which suits me just fine."
The Derry native knows that he is likely to need an improved personal best time if he is to advance, but is happy in that knowledge: "It is basically a final for me. Every race will be like that."
Already this morning, Rob Heffernan has missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the 20km walk and Ireland will hope of a better return later this morning. David Gillick's personal best of 44.77 makes him favourite for gold over 400m despite Belgian Jonathan Borlee matching that time this season.
The Ballinteer man is not the least bit perturbed by pressure of that tag saying earlier this year; "It's better to be going in as one of the favourites rather than people saying I've no chance."
Qualification gets under way at 11am (local time, 10am in Ireland) and having finished sixth at the world championship, the top European, Gillick is surely anxious to get out on the track. Joining him will be fellow south Dubliner Brian Gregan, and Tullamore's Gordon Kennedy.
Later this week; Paul Hession and Stephen Colvert will race the 200 metres on thurday morning . That afternoon the fiele in the 5000 metres will see Allister Cragg test his worth. Derval O'Rourke, the top european in her event at last years world championship will have to wait until Friday before hitting the 100 metre hurdles.
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