SONIA O'SULLIVAN was recounting familiar names and traversing well-worn territory as she assessed the task awaiting her in the final of the World 3,000 metres Indoor Championship in Paris this evening.

Victory in her first indoor race in five years would earn O'Sullivan a prize of more than £30,000, quite her biggest payday since the glory days of 1995. Even more importantly, it would distance her significantly from the trauma of her Olympic collapse in Atlanta, a mishap of such dimensions that only now can she recall it without obvious pain.

To accelerate that rehabilitation, she must legislate for the power and experience of Portugal's Fernando Ribeiro and possibly the youthful verve of the Ronianian Gabriela Szabo.

Two years ago, O'Sullivan and Ribiero both collected world outdoor titles, O'Sullivan at 5,000 metres, Ribeiro at 10,000, but on those occasions when they clashed head-to-head at the shorter distance the Irish woman generally had all the answers.

It was a different story last year as Ribeiro put her name on one of the heroic successes of the Atlanta Games, breaking the Chinese athlete Wang Junxia in a breathtaking finish over 10,000.

If power is Ribeiro's forte, Szabo, at 21, has built her reputation on her ability to kick off a strong pace. Just now she is probably faster than O'Sullivan, but her challenge is unquestionably endangered by her decision to run in both the 1,500 and 3,000 metres, a schedule which will demand her reappearance on the track within two hours of competing in the 1,500 preliminaries.

With the cancellation of yesterday's scheduled 3,000 semi-finals, O'Sullivan's recent experience of indoor running is limited to just one training session in the championship stadium within hours of arriving on Thursday.

That must be a cause for concern but it didn't show yesterday as the Irish woman, more relaxed now than for some time, spoke of the need to get herself focussed when she reports on the line for the 18.55 (Irish time) start.

"I am determined to be thinking positively when the roll is called," she said. "If I run as well as I can, I'll be there with as big a chance as anybody else, but after Atlanta I'd prefer to leave it at that."

Niall Bruton is through to the final of the men's 1500 metres today after producing quite his most authoritative performance of the season in finishing second to the new world record holder for the distance, Hachim El Guerrouj of Morocco.

There was only ever going to be one winner of the heat after El Guerrouj's injection of pace at 1,200 metres carried him effortlessly clear of the pack. However, the Dubliner, now under the tutelage of Eamon Coghlan, could feel pleased with his performance.

"I thought I was in the right position at all times and while El Guerrouj's surge was something else, I was happy with my performance," he said.

Bruton still has it all to do to win a medal, however, for the Kenyan William Tanui looked strong in taking the second heat and Rudger Stenzel of Germany even stronger when seeing off all-comers in the third race.

Gary Ryan of Nenagh illustrated his rate of improvement when qualifying for the semifinals of the 200 metres as one of the fastest losers with an Irish record of 21.13 seconds.

That proved the limit of his achievement for running in the dreaded inside lane later in the day, he could finish only fifth of five in the race won by Ato Boldon. Yet, it was another significant landmark in the career of the 24-year-old Tipperary man.

The proof of how even the most experienced athletes can be ensnared by the pressures of championship competition was illustrated by Mark Carroll's tame elimination in the semi-finals of the men's 3,000 metres.

Carroll was almost 20 seconds outside his personal best when recording a time of eight minutes 5.49 seconds in 11th place in the first of the two races.

"I ran badly and I just can't explain it," he said. "I had done all the homework, but in hindsight I shouldn't have gone back to Cork when I finished in Providence College. Every time I do that my form seems to disappear - it's Just too bad to be true."