O'Rourke claims European silver medal
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Derval O'Rourke delighted Irish fans in Barcelona by winning a silver medal at European Championships in the 100 metre Hurdles.
The former World Indoor champion added yet another major Championship medal and a new National Record on her way to silver.
O'Rourke clocked 12.65 seconds, taking .02 of a second off her previous best and the Irish record.
Derval matched eventual winner Nevin Yarit (Turkey) stride for stride all the way to the finish line and eventually just missed out by .02 of a second.
Yarit also clocked a new best time of 12.63 and a Turkish national record. Germany's Carolin Nytra finished in third to take the bronze medal.
'Unbelievable. I think when I look back on my career whenever it ends, the only thing that will count is medals because they go into the history books and can't be taken away,' said O'Rourke.
'I'd love to be champion but I ran a personal best and can't ask for any more. That was absolutely 100% all I had and I'm over the moon.
'I love putting on the Irish kit and going out there and running my absolute best.'
O'Rourke once again proved her amazing fighting spirit and underlined her remarkable ability to rise to the occasion in major championships.
The Leevale athlete also won silver at the European championships in Gothenburg in 2006.
