Ireland's European Indoor champion David Gillick beat his outdoor personal best as he finished fifth in a high-class 400 metres in Turin, Italy last night.
The 21-year-old Dubliner, who reigned supreme in Madrid in March, slipped under the 46-second barrier for the first time in his short career. He also managed the 'B' standard for August's World Championships - clocking 45.93 secs behind race winner Davian Clarke (45.52).
Indeed just two hundredths of a second split the first three athletes home with World Indoor Silver Medallist Clarke pipping Sudanese athlete Al Nagmeldin Abubakr (45.52) and Eric Milazar of Mauritius (45.54).
Gillick, ranked 48 in the world, and already qualified for this summer's European Under-23 Championships, will be eyeing up the 'A' qualifying standard for August's Worlds in Helsinki in the coming weeks.
Standing at 45.55 secs, he will have to erase Paul McKee's three-year-old Irish record (45.58) to make that mark.
