| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Athletics | |||
Competitor for  Ireland |
|||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Silver | 2000 Sydney | 5000 m | |
| World Championships | |||
| Gold | 1995 Gothenburg | 5000 m | |
| Silver | 1993 Stuttgart | 1500 m | |
| European Championships | |||
| Gold | 1994 Helsinki | 3000 m | |
| Gold | 1998 Budapest | 10000 m | |
| Gold | 1998 Budapest | 5000 m | |
| Silver | 2002 Munich | 10000 m | |
| Silver | 2002 Munich | 5000 m | |
| World Cross-Country Championships | |||
| Gold | 1998 Marrakesh | 8 km | |
| Gold | 1998 Marrakesh | 4 km | |
| World Indoor Championships | |||
| Silver | 1997 Paris | 3000 m | |
Sonia O'Sullivan (born November 28, 1969) is an Irish runner from Cobh, County Cork. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, 46 events in athletics were contested 24 for men and 22 for women The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium These are the official results of the Women's 5000 metres event at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg Sweden. The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium These are the official results of the Women's 1500 metres event at the 1993 IAAF World Championships in Tokyo Japan. The European Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. The 16th European Championships in Athletics were held from August 7 to August 14, 1994 in the Olympic Stadium of Helsinki These are the official results of the Women's 3000 metres event at the 1994 European Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The 17th European Championships in Athletics were held from August 18 to August 23, 1998 in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary The 17th European Championships in Athletics were held from August 18 to August 23, 1998 in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary These are the official results of the Women's 5000 metres event at the 1998 European Championships in Budapest Hungary. The 18th European Championships in Athletics were held from August 6 to August 11, 2002 in the Olympic Stadium of Munich The 17th European Championships in Athletics were held from August 18 to August 23, 1998 in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international Cross country running. The 26th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 21-22 March 1998 in Marrakech, Morocco. The 26th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 21-22 March 1998 in Marrakech, Morocco. The International Association of Athletics Federations World Indoor Championships were inaugurated as the World Indoor Games in 1985 in Paris, France and were subsequently The 6th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France from March 7 to For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Cobh (pronounced /koːv/ "cove" An Cóbh is a sheltered seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. County Cork (Contae Chorcaí is the most southerly and the largest of the modern counties of Ireland. In 1987 she first won gold in the Irish Cross Country Championships at the age of seventeen in the junior and senior races.
She was one of the leading female 5000 m runners for most of the 1990s and early 2000s. The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" Her crowning achievement was a Gold medal at the 1995 World Athletics Championships. The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium She won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, narrowly beaten by the Romanian Gabriela Szabo and in front of third placed Ethiopian Gete Wami. "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever Gabriela Szabo (born November 14, 1975 in Bistriţa) is a Romanian track and field athlete winner of the gold medal in the Getenesh 'Gete' Wami ( Ge'ez:ጌጤነሽ 'ጌጤ' ዋሚ born December 11, 1974 in Debre Berhan) is a female Ethiopian She has won three European Championship Gold Medals and two World Cross-Country Championship Gold Medals.
On February 14, 2007, the multi-medallist has said that she plans to hang up her spikes after the Great Ireland Run on April 15, after saying last year that she intended to run competitively until the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [1] Sonia later dismissed the rumours that she is retiring after the BUPA Great Ireland Run, adding that she will be retiring at the end of the season this year. Bupa is a Healthcare organisation with bases on three continents and more than seven million customers in 192 countries [1]
Contents |
Early years
Sonia O'Sullivan's first major international competition was the 1990 European Championships at Split, where she finished 11th in the 3000 m. The 3000 metres is a popular amateur Middle distance track event (colloquially known as "3k" where 7 However, O'Sullivan improved quickly after that, and on 26 January the following year, at Boston, she set a new world indoor record in the 5000 m of 15:17. The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" 28, taking more than 5 seconds off the old record. At the time, O'Sullivan (who attained a sporting scholarship) was studying accountancy at the Villanova University in the USA, and at the World Student Games at Sheffield in July 1991, she won the 1500 m Gold Medal in 4:12. Villanova University' is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States The Universiade is an International Multi-sport event, organized for University athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England 14, and the Silver Medal in the 3000 m in 8:56. 55. At the start of 1992, she finished 7th in the World Cross Country Championships. IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international Cross country running. In 1992, O'Sullivan improved her personal bests in a number of distances between 800 m and 5000 m, setting six Irish national records in the process, including five in the space of 11 days in mid-August following the Barcelona Olympic Games. 800 m is a common Track running event It is the shortest common Middle distance track event. The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games At Barcelona, in the 3000 m final, O'Sullivan was always in contention, and hit the lead in the back straight on the final lap, but she was eventually outsprinted and finished fourth. Narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal was made all the more frustrating when the silver medalist from the race Tatyana Dorovskikh tested positive for a banned substance the following year. Tetyana Volodymyrivna Dorovskikh (née Samolenko-Khamitova Тетяна Володимирівна Доровских née Самойленко-Хамітова born August In the 1500 m, she finished only 11th in her semi-final and did not qualify for the final. She finished 1992 by winning the Grand Prix Final for the 5000 m.
1993-1995
1993
During. 1993, O'Sullivan began to dominate the world of distance-running. By the time the World Championships came around, she was the clear favourite for both the 3000 m and 1500 m. A world championship(s is the top achievement for any sport or Contest. However her hopes were dashed by performances by three unknown Chinese athletes later convicted of taking drugs in the 3000 m. O'Sullivan finished 4th in a time of 8:33. 8. Six days later she won the Silver Medal in the 1500 m in a time of 4:03. 48, again behind a Chinese athlete. Five days after the championships, at the ISTAF meet in Berlin, O'Sullivan recorded the season's best time over 5000 m of 14:45. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. 92, which moved her to third on the all-time world list. Soon afterwards she closed the year by winning the Grand Prix Final for the 3000 m and finished 2nd in the Mile. She finished the Grand Prix season in 2nd place in the Woman's Overall competition.
1994
During 1994, Sonia O'Sullivan totally dominated the international distance running scene. She set the fastest time of the year in four events, the 1500 m, 1 mile, 2000 m and 3000 m, and the second fastest time in the 5000 m. Middle distance track events are track races longer than sprints up to (and arguably including 3000 Metres. The 3000 metres is a popular amateur Middle distance track event (colloquially known as "3k" where 7 The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" On 8 July, at Edinburgh, she broke the 2000 m world record, setting a new time of 5:25. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. 36. This record still stands today. The next week, in London, she broke the European record for the 3000 m, beating Britain's Yvonne Murray, and setting the year's fastest time of 8:21. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Medal Gold indoors 1987 Lievin Medal silver Madrid 1986 Medal Bronze Athens 1985 Yvonne Murray MBE (born 4 October 1964 in Musselburgh 64. This moved her to fifth on the all-time world list, behind the four Chinese runners who had all set their personal bests at the 1993 National Championships in Beijing. This record lasted until 2002, when Gabriela Szabo bettered it. Gabriela Szabo (born November 14, 1975 in Bistriţa) is a Romanian track and field athlete winner of the gold medal in the Only three days later, at Nice, O'Sullivan recorded the year's fastest 1500 m, a personal best, of 3:59. Nice (nis Niçard Occitan: Niça norm or Nissa, Italian: Nizza or Nizza Marittima, Greek 10, and only four days after that, she won the mile at the Bislett Games in Oslo, in a time of 4:17. (called Christiania from 1624 to 1878 and Kristiania from 1878 to 1924 is the Capital and largest city of Norway. 25. This was the season's best, and it moved O'Sullivan to fourth on the all-time world list. All four of these times were also new Irish records, and after this two week period of record breaking, O'Sullivan became a clear favourite to win any event she chose to compete in at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki in August. The European Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. Helsinki (in Finnish;) or Helsingfors (in Swedish;) is the Capital and largest city of Finland. At Helsinki, O'Sullivan elected to only contest the 3000 m, with her main opposition expected to come from Yvonne Murray. In the final, on 10 August, Murray set the pace with O'Sullivan on her shoulder. With 200 m to go, O'Sullivan surged past Murray to win easily in 8:31. 84. O'Sullivan followed this with a win over 5000 m in the Grand Prix final in Paris on 3 September. She finished the Grand Prix season in 3rd place in the Woman's Overall standings. At the end of a long season, on 9 September, the tired O'Sullivan finished only fifth in the 1500 m at the World Cup in London. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.
1995
As she did in 1994, Sonia O'Sullivan completely dominated the international distance running scene during 1995. Coincidentally, as she had done in 1994, O'Sullivan set the fastest time of the year in four events, the 1500 m, 1 mile, 2000 m and 3000 m, and the second fastest time in the 5000 m. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Middle distance track events are track races longer than sprints up to (and arguably including 3000 Metres. The 3000 metres is a popular amateur Middle distance track event (colloquially known as "3k" where 7 The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" O'Sullivan was the winner of 11 of the 12 races in which she competed over 1500 m or 1 mile during 1995. These victories included the only sub-4 minute 1500 m time recorded during the year, a new Irish record of 3:58. 85 set at the Herculis meet in Monaco on 25 July. For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque In the 3000 m, O'Sullivan was clearly in a class above her rivals, winning all five of her races, and producing four of the six fastest times, including the year's fastest time of 8:27. 57 at the Weltklasse meet in Zurich on 16 August. Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the Her other 3000 m victories included the Bislett Games in Oslo on 21 July, and the Grand Prix final in Monaco on 9 September. For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque O'Sullivan was left with the dilemma leading up to the World Championships at Gothenburg, of whether to compete in the 1500 m or the 5000 m. Gothenburg ( Swedish:) /jœte'bɔrj/ is a city, a municipality, and an urban area on the west-coast of Sweden. She had been unbeaten at 5000 m before Gothenburg, although the fastest time of the year, a new world record, had been set by Portugal's Fernanda Ribeiro. Maria Fernanda Moreira Ribeiro, GCIH, pron fɨɾ'nɐ̃dɐ ʁi'bɐiɾu (born June 23, 1969)is a long-distance runner In the end, O'Sullivan chose the 5000 m, and, after easily winning her heat on 10 August, she kicked clear of Ribeiro in the final two days later, to win the world title in 14:46. 47. Three weeks later, on 1 September, at the ISTAF meeting in Berlin, O'Sullivan again battled over 5000 m with the new world record holder Ribeiro, and again O'Sullivan was victorious, winning in a time of 14:41. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. 40, a new Irish record, and the third fastest 5000 m of all time. For the fourth year in a row, she won the Grand Prix Final, this time over 3000 m.
Atlanta 1996 & 1997 season
1996
Although she was not as dominant as she had been in 1994 and 1995, Sonia O'Sullivan continued to be the major force to be reckoned with during 1996 at the distances between 1500 m and 5000 m. Her best event in 1996 was the 3000 m, where she was unbeaten for the third successive year, winning all five of her races. O'Sullivan produced the early season leading time of 8:42. 40 in Eugene on 26 May, and then at Nice, on 10 July, she recorded the year's fastest time of 8:35. The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, Nice (nis Niçard Occitan: Niça norm or Nissa, Italian: Nizza or Nizza Marittima, Greek 42. In the 1500 m, only two women broke 4 minutes during the year, one of whom was O'Sullivan, who clocked her best time of 3:59. 91 when winning at the Bislett Games in Oslo on 5 July. The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett stadion in Oslo, Norway that takes place as the first meeting of the (called Christiania from 1624 to 1878 and Kristiania from 1878 to 1924 is the Capital and largest city of Norway. In terms of preparation for the Olympic Games held later that year in Atlanta, O'Sullivan's best event appeared to be the 5000 m, the distance at which she was the reigning world champion. On 5 June, at the Golden Gala meet in Rome, O'Sullivan won in 14:54. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 75. A month later, on 12 July, at the Securicor Games in London, she beat a strong field to win in 14:48. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. 36. The program at the Olympic Games in Atlanta was sufficiently scheduled to allow O'Sullivan to contest both the 5000 m and 1500 m events. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Her early season form and her world title win the previous year had made her favourite for the 5000 m, and everything seemed on track when she easily won her heat in 15:15. 80. However, in the final on 28 July, she was badly affected by a stomach upset, and after starting well, she gradually faded away and failed to finish. Her disappointment continued in the 1500 m, where, still weakened, she came second last in her heat and failed to qualify for the final.
1997
Keen to quickly atone for her disappointing performances at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games due to illness, Sonia O'Sullivan competed in her first indoor competition for five years at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics in Paris in March 1997. The International Association of Athletics Federations World Indoor Championships were inaugurated as the World Indoor Games in 1985 in Paris, France and were subsequently Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Prior to that meeting, O'Sullivan had travelled to Australia to get some early season competition in the Australian domestic outdoor season. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. O'Sullivan recorded her best result in Canberra, on 11 January, where she won a 5000 m race in 15:10. Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City. 98. She had entered both the 1500 m and 3000 m at the World Indoors, but eventually she chose to only contest the 3000 m event. In the final, on 8 March, O'Sullivan hit the lead in the last lap, but she was overtaken by Romanian Gabriela Szabo who went on to narrowly defeat O'Sullivan in 8:45. Gabriela Szabo (born November 14, 1975 in Bistriţa) is a Romanian track and field athlete winner of the gold medal in the 75 compared to the Irishwoman's second place time of 8:46. 19. At the World Cross Country Championships she finished 9th but helped Ireland win the Bronze Medal in the Team Event. Compared with the magnificent performances that she had produced in previous years, O'Sullivan had an indifferent outdoor season in 1997, and her best time of 8:53. 53 over 3000 m, which she achieved in Paris on 25 June, was 7 seconds slower than the time she had set indoors in March. Similarly, her best performance at 5000 m for the year remained the time she had set in Australia in January. At the World Championships held in Athens, O'Sullivan produced her best 1500 m time of the year of 4:05. A world championship(s is the top achievement for any sport or Contest. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's 31 when she finished fourth in her semi-final on 3 August. In the final, held two days later, O'Sullivan was never a serious threat, and she finished 8th in 4:07. 81. O'Sullivan had even greater disappointment in the 5000 m where she was the defending world champion, finishing only 7th in her heat and failing to qualify for the final.
1998
After her disappointing performances at the 1996 Olympic Games, and her relatively poor season in 1997, few would have predicted the remarkable comeback that Sonia O'Sullivan made in 1998. Her year got off to an amazing start at the World Cross-Country Championships at Marrakech in March. Marrakesh or Marrakech ( Amazigh: Murakush, Arabic مراكش Murrakush) known as the "Red City" O'Sullivan entered both the short course (4 km) and long course (8 km) events, a double which few athletes even attempt, much less have any success at. On successive days, O'Sullivan won both events, and her 4 km time of 12:20 was a massive 14 seconds ahead of her nearest rival. O'Sullivan continued this form into the track season, where her performances in the 1500 m, 3000 m and 5000 m were close to those she had produced at her peak in 1994 and 1995. At the European Athletics Championships in Budapest, the 1500 m and 5000 m finals, events at which O'Sullivan usually doubled at major championships, were scheduled to be run on the same day, thus denying her the opportunity of competing in both events. The European Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Undeterred, O'Sullivan entered the 5000 m and 10000 m, having never run the latter event before on the track. In the 10000 m final, on 19 August, she shadowed the leaders, and then produced an astonishing 28. 1 second final 200 metres to win the gold medal in 31:29. 33 in her debut at the distance. Four days later, in the more familiar territory of the 5000 m, the pace was set by Romanian Gabriela Szabo, but again, O'Sullivan produced an explosive finishing sprint to defeat Szabo in 15:06. Gabriela Szabo (born November 14, 1975 in Bistriţa) is a Romanian track and field athlete winner of the gold medal in the 50. At the World Cup held the following month in Johannesburg, O'Sullivan won her second major international 5000 m competition of the year, again sprinting clear of the opposition following a very slow pace. She concluded her year by winning the BUPA Great North Run. Bupa is a Healthcare organisation with bases on three continents and more than seven million customers in 192 countries The BUPA Great North Run is the world's most popular Half marathon Road running event
2000 (Sydney)
Following her spectacular comeback in the international athletics arena in 1998, which included winning both the 5000 m and 10000 m at the European Championships, Sonia O'Sullivan took a break from competition for most of 1999, during which time she gave birth to her daughter, Ciara, on 10 July 1999. O'Sullivan returned to training 10 days after her daughter's birth, and on 10 October, showed she was back in form by finishing a half marathon in 70:05. In June she continued this road form, winning Dublin's Women's Mini Marathon. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. The Flora Women's Mini Marathon, is a 10km road race ran each June Bank Holiday Monday in Dublin Ireland. However, it didn't take her long to return to the track, with the prospect of competing at her third Olympic Games in September 2000 in Sydney. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 O'Sullivan competed in the Australian domestic outdoor season during the European winter, recording a fastest time over 5000 m of 15:10. 24 at Sydney on 13 February 2000. Back in Europe, she produced a number of quality performances in her preparation for the Olympics. The Weltklasse meet in Zurich on 11 August produced the finest 3000 m race of the year, with the first six placings respectively registering the six fastest times in 2000. Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the O'Sullivan finished a close second in this race to Romanian Gabriela Szabo in a time of 8:27. Gabriela Szabo (born November 14, 1975 in Bistriţa) is a Romanian track and field athlete winner of the gold medal in the 58. At Sydney, on 22 September, O'Sullivan produced the fastest time in the heats of the 5000 m with a season's best of 15:07. 91. In the final three days later, O'Sullivan won the silver medal behind Szabo in a sensational 14:41. 02, and well in front of bronze medallist Gete Wami. Getenesh 'Gete' Wami ( Ge'ez:ጌጤነሽ 'ጌጤ' ዋሚ born December 11, 1974 in Debre Berhan) is a female Ethiopian Her time bettered the Irish national record she had set in 1995. Doubts have since been cast over Szabo's performance. She became only the second Irish woman to win an Olympic Medal, after Michelle Smith and the first Irish Track and Field Olympic Medalist since John Treacy took Silver in Los Angeles in 1984. Michelle Smith (born December 16, 1969 in Rathcoole, County Dublin, now more commonly referred to by her married name Michelle de John Treacy (born 4 June 1957 in Villierstown near Dungarvan, County Waterford) is a former Irish athlete and Olympic medalist Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West In the 10000 m final, held on 30 September, O'Sullivan set another personal best and national record when she finished 6th, in an extremely fast race, in 30:53. 37. Shortly after the Olympics, She won the Grand Prix Final 5000 m. Following the Olympics, O'Sullivan made her marathon debut, winning the Dublin marathon in a time of 2:35:42 on 30 October. The marathon is a long-distance foot race with an official distance of 42
2001 & 2002
In March 2001, O'Sullivan decided to compete in the World Indoor Championships. She finished 7th in the 3000 m and 9th in the 1500 m. After this she took a break from athletics to give birth to her second daughter, Sophie. She returned in March 2002 for the World Cross Country Championships, being held in Dublin. She finished a very respectable 7th in the Short Race, and led Ireland to Team Bronze. At the European Championships in Munich later that year, O'Sullivan made a brave attempt at defending her two European Golds she won in 1998. She won the silver medal in the 10000 m in an Irish record time of 30:47. 59, behind Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain, who set a sensational European Record in the process. Paula Jane Radcliffe MBE (born on 17 December, 1973 in Davenham, Cheshire, England) is a British See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands A few days later, a tactical error cost O'Sullivan the gold in the 5000 m as she was beaten into second place by Marta Dominguez of Spain in a time of 15:14. Marta Domínguez Azpeleta (born November 3, 1975 in Palencia) is a Spanish runner who currently mainly competes in 5000 metres Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. 85. Shortly afterwards she set a season's best for the 3000 m in Zurich as she finished third in a time of 8:33. Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the 62. A week later she ran her fastest 5000 m time since her Olympic Silver in London in a time of 14:46. 97, as she finished third. She ended an excellent season by winning her second BUPA Great North Run title in a national record time of 67:19. Bupa is a Healthcare organisation with bases on three continents and more than seven million customers in 192 countries The BUPA Great North Run is the world's most popular Half marathon Road running event
2003 and beyond
2003
After an impressive 2002 season, O'Sullivan had a disappointing 2003. She struggled during the summer Grand Prix races. However she appeared to be finding her form at the right time when she ran a season's best in the 3000 m in Zurich in a time of 8:37. The 3000 metres is a popular amateur Middle distance track event (colloquially known as "3k" where 7 Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the 55 on August 15th. At the World Championships in Paris later that month she was considered a possible medalist. A world championship(s is the top achievement for any sport or Contest. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city She qualified very comfortably from her heat. However in the final she finished last of the 15 starters. In December she finished an impressive 4th at the European Cross-Country Championships, and lead Ireland to Silver in the Team Event. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world
2004
2004 was to be an even more disappointing season for Sonia O'Sullivan. She struggled to find her best form throughout the year. At the Olympic Games in Athens, she qualified for the final of the 5000 m. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" However in the final, O'Sullivan, who was suffering from an illness, finished last of the 14 finishers, well over a lap behind the winner Meseret Defar. Meseret Defar (born November 19, 1983 in Addis Ababa) is a female athlete from Ethiopia. She was given a heroes reception by the Crowd as she completed her last lap. It was one of the more poignant moments of the 2004 Games. In November, O'Sullivan finished an impressive 4th in the World Half-Marathon Championship in New Delhi. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. It was a performance that deserved a medal, especially considering the fact that the race winner Sun Yingjie of China tested positive for a banned substance soon afterwards. Sun Yingjie ( born January 19, 1979 in Liaoning) is a famous Chinese female long-distance runner who competes from 5000 metres China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National
2005
In April 2005, O'Sullivan ran the London Marathon for the first time and finished 8th in a personal best time of 2:29:01. The London Marathon is a popular road marathon that has been held each year in London since 1981 usually in April In June she won Dublin's Women's Mini Marathon for the second time. However an injury kept her out of the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki. A world championship(s is the top achievement for any sport or Contest. Helsinki (in Finnish;) or Helsingfors (in Swedish;) is the Capital and largest city of Finland.
2006
In January 2006, O'Sullivan applied for dual citizenship, which would allow her to compete for both Ireland and Australia. Multiple citizenship, or multiple nationality is a status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a Citizen under the laws of more than one state. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. This request was granted and she intended to represent Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, but to represent Ireland in all other competitions. The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006 Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 She was chosen for the Australian Commonwealth team for the 5000 m. However she wasn't able to compete due to a hamstring injury.
2008
In March 2008, O'Sullivan was appointed team manager of the Australian team for the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland. The 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the Holyrood Park at Edinburgh, Scotland on 30 March, 2008. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. [2]
Performances at major championships
1988 World Junior Championships 3000 m Heats
1990 European Championships 3000 m 11th
1991 World Student Games 1500 m GOLD, 3000 m SILVER
1992 World Cross-Country Championships 7th; Olympic Games 3000 m 4th, 1500 m Semi-Finals
1993 World Championships 3000 m 4th, 1500 m SILVER
1994 European Championships 3000 m GOLD
1995 World Championships 5000 m GOLD
1996 Olympic Games 5000 m DNF in Final, 1500 m Heats
1997 World Indoor Championships 3000 m SILVER; World Cross-Country Championships 9th; World Championships 1500 m 8th, 5000 m Heats
1998 World Cross-Country Championships Long Race GOLD, Short Race GOLD; European Championships 10000 m GOLD, 5000 m GOLD
2000 World Cross-Country Championships Long Race 7th, Short Race 15th; Olympic Games 5000 m SILVER, 10000 m 6th
2001 World Indoor Championships 3000 m 7th, 1500 m 9th; World Cross-Country Championships Short Race DNF
2002 World Cross-Country Championships Short Race 7th; World Half Marathon Championships 14th; European Championships 10000 m SILVER, 5000 m SILVER
2003 World Championships 5000 m 15th; European Cross-Country Championships 4th
2004 Olympic Games 5000 m 14th; World Half Marathon Championships 4th
Personal bests
- 800 m - 2:00. 800 m is a common Track running event It is the shortest common Middle distance track event. 69 NR (July 1994)
- 1000 m - 2:34. 66 NR (July 1993)
- 1500 m - 3:58. 85 NR (July 1995)
- 1 Mile - 4:17. 25 WR (July 1994)
- 2000 m - 5:25. Middle distance track events are track races longer than sprints up to (and arguably including 3000 Metres. 36 WR (July 1994)
- 3000 m - 8:21. The 3000 metres is a popular amateur Middle distance track event (colloquially known as "3k" where 7 64 NR (ER 1994-2002) (July 1994)
- 5000 m - 14:41. The 5000 metres is a popular Running distance also known as a 5K or 5 km colloquially "five-K" 02 NR (September 2000)
- 10000 m - 30:47. 59 NR (August 2002)
- Half Marathon - 67:19 NR (October 2002)
- Marathon - 2:29:01 (April 2005)
See also
References
- ^ a b Sonia clears up confusion over retirement. A half marathon is a Road running event of 210975 meters or miles about 13 The marathon is a long-distance foot race with an official distance of 42 This is a list of people on the Postage stamps of the Irish Free State between 1922 and 1937 and on the postage stamps of Ireland since 1937, including RTÉ Sport (14 February 2007). Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ Johnson, Len: Irish star O'Sullivan will lead the way, The Age, March 10, 2008. The Age is a Broadsheet daily Newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854 Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
External links
- IAAF profile for Sonia O'Sullivan
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
Preceded by Irina Privalova |
Women's European Athlete of the Year 1995 |
Succeeded by Svetlana Masterkova |
Preceded by Jackie Joyner-Kersee |
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 1995 |
Succeeded by Svetlana Masterkova |
| Sporting positions | ||
Preceded by Qu Yunxia |
Women's 1,500 m Best Year Performance 1994 – 1995 |
Succeeded by Svetlana Masterkova |
| Preceded by Wang Junxia |
Women's 3,000 m Best Year Performance 1994 – 1996 |
Succeeded by Gabriela Szabo |
Preceded by Elana Meyer |
Women's 5,000 m Best Year Performance 1993 |
Succeeded by Yelena Romanova |
Preceded by Derartu Tulu |
IAAF Women's World Cross Country Champion Long Course 1998 |
Succeeded by Gete Wami |
| Preceded by New Event |
IAAF Women's World Cross Country Champion Short Course 1998 |
Succeeded by Jackline Maranga |