When he was 21 years old he showed great promise by finishing fourth over 800 metres in the 1998 European Athletics Championship having taken 14 seconds off his personal best in only 13 months.
Serving a 1-year ban for changing nationality McIlroy still produced the 3rd fastest British All - time 1000 metres behind Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram when finishing 4th in Rieti, (Italy).
From 2002 onwards McIlroy spent considerable time in South Africa training and after being injured for most of the 2003 - 4 season he again finished 4th at the European Indoor Championships in Valencia in 2005.
He had competed for Great Britain & Northern Ireland earlier in the month at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Valencia but failed to finish his opening round heat of the 1500 metres, due to pulled intercostal muscles.
McIlroy, a member of Windsor, Slough & Eton had moved up to the latter distance after concentrating on 800 metres since bursting on the scene with a fourth place at the European Championships in 1998.