GAA: IRISH SIDE LOOKING TO ROISIN.

Byline: By TOM O'RIORDAN

WICKLOW woman, Roisin McGettigan, can give the Irish a much needed morale boost when she is first into action at the opening session of the World Athletics Championships at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki this morning.

With the Irish team having little prospect of winning a medal they will be more inclined to look for consolation by getting athletes through qualifying heats and here McGettigan can give them a good start this morning.

Roisin has come a long ways since her early running days in local events in her native Wicklow Town and now claims a niche for herself in that she will be participating in a brand new event on the programme, the women's 3,000m Steeplechase.

The Chase has been part of the international scene for the past couple of years but this is the first time it will have championship status and will also be in the next Olympics in 2008.

This morning she runs in the heats of the event and while her Irish record time of 9:45.60 ranks her in 23rd position there is no reason to doubt that she is very capable of breaking that mark and challenge for a place in the final.

McGettigan's rise to this level began in the Community Games and Schools competitions, achievements in the 1,500m which led to her receiving an athletics scholarship to Providence College, Rhode Island in 2001.

And no sooner had she arrived in Providence than the Irish born coach, Ray Treacy, saw potential in her for the steeplechase which was already on the US programme.

And Roisin ended up very successful, winning three successive Conference Championships and finishing third in the prestigious NCAA's.

In 2001 her best time stood at 10:24.35 but she has lowered it steadily since and last year smashed the Irish record.

This year her best is 9:47 which she set when winning the European Cup in Portugal. The world record stands at a very impressive 9:01.59 to Gulnara Samitova of Russia but the best of 05 is 9:15.04.

Training around Rhode Island has been good for the Wicklow girl in that she is involved in a group which includes Davenport, the new Irish 5,000m champion, Mary Cullen from Sligo, the American star, Amy Rudolf, and Kim Smith, who will be running for New Zealand in the 5,000m in Helsinki.

If she was to make the final it would provide a timely boost for the other three Irish athletes in action later today - Robert Heffernan in the 20 K Walk, James Nolan in the heats of the 1,500m and Marie Davenport in the final of the women's 10,000m which will feature Britain's Paula Radcliffe.

CAPTION(S):

INSPIRATION: Roisin McGettigan