BUOYED by his impressive victory in last weekend's Irish Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships, Paul Pollock is now plotting success at the Europeans in Belgrade next month.
The Annadale Strider returned from his London base to destroy the best domestic field assembled for a cross-country race for some years.
With the efficiency of the Terminator, the Hollywood doctor cast aside the challenge of pre-race favourite David McCarthy before simply destroying the field for possibly the greatest win of his career to date.
Now a full-time athlete, Pollock wants to build on his 21st position in the World Championships marathon back in August when he was second European across the finish line.
And this time he is going for gold. "I'm really happy with the way the race went," said Pollock after his success last Sunday. "After Moscow [World Championships], I knew there was a lot of things I wasn't doing in training that I now have a lot more time to concentrate on. "It was definitely a confidence-booster and now I'm looking forward to the Europeans and hope I can do Ireland proud. "I think I'm in shape to win it but there's a group of 20-30 people who can win it on their day, but it really depends on the conditions. "In Euro cross there's no easing back. Here today, you run a kilometre hard and then you ease up. But if you do that in the European cross, you're going to come nowhere."
Despite his outward confidence, Pollock admitted he was uncertain how last Sunday's race would go for him. Waterford man David McCarthy had come into the race as hot favourite following a fourth place in the Lotto Cup in Antwerp which has secured his automatic selection for Belgrade.
He had tried to mix it with the flying doctor early on but was burned off well before halfway.
Eventually, it took a spirited sprint down the final straight for the former Providence College star miler to snatch seventh spot. "For the first lap you don't who's where, training-wise. But when I got to the three laps, I felt quite comfortable and confident there was no-one else there in shape to beat me. "I came here expecting to win. I know there was a lot of talk about David McCarthy and Joe Sweeney and obviously they are in great shape but I felt my training had been going well. "I knew coming in here someone would have to be in great shape to beat me and thankfully, on the day, I was good enough to win." Pollock has now returned to his training base in London and will decide whether to take in another race before Belgrade on December 15.