Clonliffe`s Brian Gregan won a top class international 400m at the Flanders Indoor IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting, in Gent, Belgium, yesterday, Sunday the 10th. This was the Clonliffe man`s biggest test todate as the field included two finalist from last year`s Olympic 400. After skipping last weekend`s big meet in Belgium Brian was right back in top form yesterday. At the break he settled into second place behind Jonathan Borlee (BEL) and hit the front on the home straight to take a superb win in 46.73. Borlee recorded 46.83 with the Olympic silver medalist Luguelin Santos (DOM) 3rd in 47.11. 4th was Mark Ujakpor (ESP), 5th Thomas Schneider (GER) and 6th Jente Bouckaert (BEL).
Brian Gregan currently tops the rankings as the fastest European over 400m this year and is one of the fastest in the World. He currently features on the front page of www.iaaf.org Great piece also on European Athletics entitled “Gregan the glory boy” which is reprinted here:
“Irish sprinter Brian Gregan is ready to follow a tradition which made his country the dominant force over the 400 metres at the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
In Madrid in 2005, and then Birmingham two years later, David Gillick took gold in this frenetic, dramatic two-lap race and now Gregan is warming up for Göteborg with an eye on the top of that podium.
Having soared to the quickest time in Europe this year with a run of 46.07 in Athlone, Ireland, in January, Gregan rubber-stamped his authority on Sunday with an impressive victory at the Record Bank Flanders Indoor meeting in Gent on Sunday.
It might not have been as quick as his year’s best time, which was also a personal best, but his win in 46.73 saw him beat leading Belgian Jonathan Borlee, who was second in 46.83, with Luguelin Santos, the Dominican Republic’s Olympic silver medallist, third in 47.11.
Gregan, 23, who was sixth at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki last summer, has powerful shoulders, an upper-body strength that he uses to his advantage in the early part of his races.
His style is to establish an early lead as the stagger unwinds and because of his build, it makes him hard to pass when his speed reaches full pelt.
Ireland have won eight gold medals in the history of the European Athletics Indoor Championships, but Gregan will go to Göteborg in just over two weeks as a worthy favourite to become the ninth.” (click here: http://www.european-athletics.org/32nd-european-athletics-indoor-championships/11743-gregan-the-glory-boy.html for more)
To see Brian`s Race click:http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/sporten/atletiek/MV_130210_Flanders_indoor_Borlee_Jonathan_400m
Finally on overseas round up Dave Flynn ran 8.28.27 for 3,000m at an indoor meet, the Husky Classic in Seattle on Saturday.