Hundreds of people lined the streets of Cobh on Saturday to honour Sonia O'Sullivan in a civic reception after the athlete's most successful season of her career. Sonia, at home and among her own people, beamed as tributes were lavished on her, and the townspeople cheered her to the echo. Two bands played and from a specially erected platform she thanked the people of Cobh, whose loyal support even following the debacle at the Olympics in Atlanta had seen her through adversity. The tribute was organised jointly by the Cobh and Harbour Chamber of Commerce and the Cobh Urban District Council.
Sonia was presented with a bronze sculpture entitled Storm. It reflected the fact that she had weathered a considerable storm in her career and come through with flying colours, the president of the BLE, Mr Nick Davis, said. He added that in the season just past Sonia had written her name into the annals of athletics. She won two gold medals at the world cross-country championships in Morocco; two gold medals at the European championships in Budapest; and two weeks ago she won a gold medal representing Europe at a world championship. Those five medals, Mr Davis said, were testament to the spirit and endurance of a world-class athlete. Cobh and the people of Ireland were extremely proud of her.
The chairman of Cobh UDC, Mr Terry Anderson, also paid tribute to Ms O'Sullivan, while the Minister for Sport, Mr Jim McDaid, who was unable to be present, sent a message of congratulations.
In Cork yesterday, Sonia ran in a mini-marathon organised by the Examiner Group of newspapers and because of her presence entries this year were up by almost 40 per cent.