SONIA O'SULLIVAN'S Olympic season is up and running after another stunning performance in the Steve Prefontaine Grand Prix in Eugene, Oregon, yesterday.
Not only did the Cobh woman throw down the gauntlet to those who hope to garner gold at 5,000m in Atlanta, the first time that this distance has been on the Olympic programme, but she did so in a stunning manner with a time for 3,000m of eight minutes, 39.33 seconds - the fastest time in the world this year for the distance.
O'Sullivan was always in control in the race, her first serious outing of the season, although she did stretch out over 1,500m last week.
Amy Rudolph, who nurtures hopes of making the US team for Atlanta at 5,000m, together with fellow Americans Libbie Johnson and Lynn Jennings, maintained contact with the Irishwoman throughout. There was never any doubt that, when the crucial questions were asked, O'Sullivan would have the answers, and so it proved.
An opening lap of 66.5 seconds had the desired effect of killing off all except those with serious intentions.
Mary Slaney, World Champion at the distance some 13 years ago and now making a comeback at 38 years of age, was among those who tried to maintain contact, but she found that the pace, together with the passing years, exacted their expected toll and her challenge evaporated early on.
The 2,000m mark passed in five minutes 50 seconds, with three athletes following O'Sullivan. Approaching the bell, Jennings, who made her name on the cross country with several World titles to her credit and an athlete with a reputation never to shirk a challenge, moved to the front, but O'Sullivan was quickly on to her right shoulder.
Down the backstraight, O'Sullivan was biding her time as Jennings kept the inside track. With 200 metres to race, O'Sullivan swept into the lead yet again and came home in a world leading best.
Her final 400 metres was timed at 62.2 seconds, giving an indication that not alone is her stamina up to the required level for the more demanding task of tackling two races within a short space of time in Atlanta but that her sprint finish is also beyond doubt even for this early in the season.
Rudolph took second, with Johnson just edging out Jennings in the battle for the minor placings - Jennings came in fourth.
O'Sullivan returns shortly to London to prepare for the European season. Her next race will probably be in Rome, with the 1,500m at the Irish National Championships in Santry, Dublin, on June 15th and 16th, one of two planned outings in Ireland.
She will also run over 3,000m in the Cork City Sports on June 22nd before returning to the Grand Prix circuit.
It was another highly successful outing for Marcus O'Sullivan in the men's mile. He finished fifth in a time of three minutes 53.81 seconds.
The race was won by Kenya's David Kibet with 3.52.28 seconds. Kibet had the strongest kick at the end of a race in which 10 athletes got under the four minute barrier.
But it was a less than satisfactory outing for Cormac Finnerty, with the Mullingar man finishing sixth in the 5,000m.
While the final position may please him, the actual time of 13 minutes 46.49 seconds is some way below his best.
The race was won by yet another Kenyan Paul Bitok in a world best time for this year of 13 minutes 8.29 seconds.
