David Gillick

Gillick first ran for Ireland at the European Athletics U23 Championships in 2003, however it was not a successful international debut for Gillick. At the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships Gillick won a bronze medal as part of the Irish 4 × 400 metres relay team (along with Robert Daly, David McCarthy and Gary Ryan). Despite improving his personal best, Gillick did not qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics. When he was young he lived in Ballinteer and played football for Ballinteer St John's GAA Club. He was educated at Our Lady's National School in Ballinteer and then St Benildus College, Kilmacud. In the 2005 European Indoor Championships Gillick produced two outstanding runs to first win his heat and then win the gold medal in a personal best time of 46.30, beating the favourite, Spain's David Canal, into second place. It was Ireland's first gold medal in a sprinting event in 75 years. Injury forced Gillick to miss the 2005 World outdoor Championships. In 2006, Gillick again suffered an injury hit season but did win the Irish National 400 m Championship in a time of 45.67. He also won the Irish National Indoor 200 m Championship (21.45). He qualified with ease through the first round at the 2006 European Championships before running poorly in his semi-final and being eliminated. In October 2006, Gillick became a full-time athlete and relocated to Loughborough in the English midlands to link up with English 400 m coach Nick Dakin and a group that included a number of top…