03 May 2004 07:53
Gillian enjoys tough test
GILLIAN O'SULLIVAN got a close-up of the stiff competition she will face at the Olympicsnext August in Athens
when finishing eighth in the ultra-competitive World Race Walking Cup in Naumburg, Germany yesterday.
The race was won in a championship record time by Yelena Kikolayeva, the Russian whobeat O'Sullivan into silver
place in last summer's Worlds. Many of those who only passedher in the final hectic lap, including Spain's
Maria Vasco and Australia's Jane Saville,broke their own national records.
O'Sullivan's time of 1.28.01 was actually her fastest over 20km this year and she was happy with her form,
saying: "My training is totally geared towards Athens and today is a great step forward for me."
She picked up her second warning shortly after the bell for the final 2.5km, when she was in a pack of six chasing
the Russian winner.
In the men's 20km, Athens-bound Robert Heffernan was the best of the Irish, finishing in27th spot in 1.22.58,
two seconds under the Olympic A standard. Dungarvan's Jamie Costin, usually a 50km specialist, was only three
places behind him.
Two days earlier Irish middle-distance running got a massive boost with some fantasticperformances at the Cardinal
Invitational in Palo Alto, California.
Not only did Sonia O'Sullivan and Alistair Cragg both run the fastest 5000m times in theworld this year, but
flying Corkman Cathal Lombard decimated Mark Carroll's national10,000m record and Clare's Marie McMahon
Davenport joined Cragg in bagging theOlympic qualifying time.
Leevale's Lombard, who is coached by Catherina McKiernan's former coach Joe Doonan, had already qualified
at 5000m for Athens but also now has the option of running the10,000m, after running 27.33.53, a time which knocked 13
seconds off the previous Irish record (27.46.82).
Sonia O'Sullivan's winning 5000m time of 14.58.43 was an excellent season opener, wellinside the Olympic A
standard (15.08) and a huge confidence booster after her wintertraining was disrupted by injury.
She pulled out a 65.5 last lap to dip under 15 minutes and races in Balmoral next weekend against her Australian
training partner Benite Johnson.
Alistair Cragg delivered on his huge promise by running a 61.5 final lap in the world's 5000m season best of
13.16.98, well inside the 13.21.50 Athens 'A' qualifying time andalmost six seconds better than his previous
personal best.
McMahon Davenport's second place and time of 31.28.78 knocked over half a minute offher previous 10,000m PB of
31.59 and was well inside the Olympic A standard of 31.59and she and Cragg bring to 12 the number of Irish track and
field athletes qualified forAthens so far, ahead of the June 30 deadline.
Cliona Foley Athletics
[Irish Independent] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
