David Gillick of Ireland will head to the World Indoor Championships in Doha next month as one of the top contenders for the 400m title.

Ireland's David Gillick produced the fastest European indoor 400m time for three years, running 45.52 seconds at the UKA Grand Prix indoor meeting in Birmingham on Saturday, to leave him brimming with confidence.

"This confirms my participation in the World Indoor Championships next month," said the 26-year-old Dubliner, whose run has propelled him into the position of arguably being the favourite for Doha with three weeks to go.

Gillick's time was the second fastest in the world this year, behind the American sprinter Torrin Lawrence who is not expected to be in Doha as it clashes with the US Collegiate (NCAA) Championships.

It also equalled his Irish indoor record set in 2007, the last time a European runner has gone so fast over two laps of an indoor track.

"I am delighted. I knew I was in good shape, but I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to run. If I had known how fast the race was, I would have dipped to break the national record. Now I can plan ahead with more confidence for the World Championships," commented Gillick after his outing in Britain's second city.

Prior to his race in Birmingham, he still had some doubts in his mind after he got ill during the second week of a training trip to South Africa at the end of January, which curtailed some of his training plans there.

"You go somewhere hot and you get a cold, doesn't really make sense does it?" he joked.

Gillick has had success at the European Athletics Indoor Championships before, winning the 400m title in 2005 and 2007. He was also part of an Irish quartet that won the 4x400m bronze medals at the 2004 World Indoor Championships but individual success at a global event has eluded him so far.

He made the World Championships 400m final in Berlin last summer and on pre-race form he was a contender for a bronze medal, especially after he reduced his Irish outdoor record of 44.77 in Madrid six weeks ago, but he eventually had to settle for the sixth place.

"All through my warm up, I had these uncomfortable cramps owing to the final being delayed by rain.  I just said to myself, 'These are not going stop me running,' so I just got on with it," he reflected in Berlin, just six months ago.

"Everything happened so fast, before I knew it, I was coming up the home straight. I'd love to run it again. Bitter sweet memories really, I was delighted to be in the world final, and not a million miles away from a medal. I know I'm not too far away, and I also know how far I have come; sixth in the world, top European," he added.

Now Gillick goes to Doha, bidding to be more than the top European there.