Confidence the big factor in Gregan’s winning streak
By Stephen Leonard
BRIAN Gregan insists he is in his best form ever heading into a World Athletics Championship.
The Tallaght 400m runner is gearing up for next month’s global competition in London having taken wins in every one of the six outdoor races he has contested so far this season.
Twice surpassing his personal best in this period, he stormed to victory at last Wednesday’s Morton Games in Santry, setting a new PB of 45.26.
It was a performance that saw him canter home to victory some 1.3 seconds ahead of runner-up Anderson Henriques with Britain’s Conrad Williams third in 46.78.
Confidence is the primary factor behind this purple patch according to Gregan who told Echo.ie
“I’m going into races expecting to win and I like that.
“I’d rather people talking about me before each race. I don’t see that as pressure on myself.
“Before, I’d be looking at who’s in the race? Where could I finish in it? But now I’m just going into every race very confident.
“I’ve had six races and six wins, all sub 46 [seconds] so I’m consistent and that’s a big thing.
“It’s the best form that I’ve been in coming into a World Championship and it’s where you hope to be at the start of every season.
“I had picked up a bug [earlier in the year] and missed two months of the indoor season, but once I got back into training everything clicked and after the first race went well, I knew that things were going to go well” he said.
While he has performed strongly at previous World Athletics Championships, Gregan is not pressuring himself with any specific targets for London.
“Making a World Championship Final would be a massive ask.
“If I did that, it would be close to a European record. I’m just going to go out there and hopefully set a new PB” he said.
Gregan did make it to the World semi finals in Moscow back in 2013 before helping set a new Irish 4x400m record with the relay team two years later in Beijing.
He will warm up for next month’s trip to London with the National Championships next week.
