DERVAL O’ROURKE’S BID for a 10th national title has been scuppered again by injury.
O’Rourke was due to return to action at this weekend’s Woodie’s DIY AAI Senior Track & Field Championships.
The start of her outdoor season has been disrupted by illness and injury and now an ongoing Achilles problem means she will not race in Morton Stadium, where she was the firm favourite for another 100m hurdle crown.
“Unfortunately I won’t be racing at nationals this weekend,” the Cork star tweeted yesterday. “My heel/Achilles is taking longer than I hoped to settle down.”
It is the second season in a row that O’Rourke has missed out on the national championships. Chasing title number 10 last year, she was forced to withdraw hours before the race due to a back injury.
With the World Championships in Moscow just around the corner, she appeared to be back to full fitness and tweeted out photos of a gruelling gym session earlier this week.
But the Achilles injury which first flared up last month means that she is unable to compete.
