Sonia O'Sullivan - 2001 & 2002

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 attempted a defense of her two European Golds she won in 1998. In the 10000 m she won silver in a National Record of 30:47.59. Despite this, she finished a full 46 seconds behind winner Paula Radcliffe who narrowly missed becoming the second woman to break 30 minutes in a European Record performance of 30:01.09. O'Sullivan admitted she had been outclassed in the race, saying that only world record holder Wang Junxia could have beaten her on the night. A few days later, O'Sullivan added a second silver in the 5000m as she was beaten into second place by Marta Dominguez of Spain in a time of 15:14.85. Shortly afterwards she set a season's best for the 3000 m in Zurich as she finished third in a time of 8:33.62. 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.

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