Well, lets be honest. I am really down about coming away from the European Championships without a medal.

I went into the champs full of confidence. I had everything right in the lead up and I had put in some good performances prior to Barcelona. Unfortunately I came home empty handed.

The week got off to a good start when winning my heat on Tuesday morning. I was delighted to get the early start out of the way and get the championships under way. The early start is always hard, out of bed, straight for breakfast, on the bus to the track and before you know it, you have done your warm up and ready to get on the track.

Felt good in my heat, relaxed, smooth and had a lot in reserve.

I had about 36 hours until the semi final on Wednesday night, so it was all about rest and recovery. Back to the hotel, lunch, massage and then hopped in to my bed for a nap.

Your emotions are all over the place, you are nervous before the heat, then you run and you have about an hour of freedom, no knots in your stomach, and then by lunch time on Tuesday, you start thinking about the semi - final!

I was looking forward to not having to get up early on Wednesday morning, my semi final wasn't until 7pm, and so had all day to prepare.

I was drawn in lane 6 of semi - final 2. I had the British athlete Bingham in lane 3. With the top 2 to qualify atoumatically, I felt it was Bingham and me that do would most of the running.

The race went really well, got out of the blocks fast, and being on the outside I ran my own race, fast and smooth down the back straight. Made a small move around the bend and as I noticed Bingham come up alongside me and then into the lead, I remained relaxed and didn't panic. As I drove in to the home straight, I picked up the pace but was really relaxed, shoulders down my back. I was gaining on Bingham and got the win in 44.79, my 2nd fastest time ever, only .02 away from my Irish record. The big thing was it just felt so easy, and I do wonder how fast I could have run.

I got the win and this would give me a good lane in the final. Everything was where I wanted it.

Thursday was again about rest and recovery. Got plenty of physio and massage and tried to sleep as much as I could. During the whole week I wasn't sleeping great, I was finding it hard to just switch my head off!

Friday came around fast. I was looking forward to the final and felt I had nothing to loose. I also felt up for it, I had done everything I could, left no stone unturned, time to just run and let it happen. But it didn't, I was ok till about 110m to go, I tensed up and tried too hard and got nothing. The feeling of looking at the big screen waiting, hoping that my name would light up in the top 3, it felt like years, but it didn't come up, it flashed up in 5th.

.05 away from a medal. It was a blanket finish and the formbook was thrown out the window.

Right now the frustration is so fresh, open wounds!!