Grace of Sonia brings back some golden memories

AS about 1,400 of Europe’s finest athletes explode into action this morning in Barcelona’s big European Championships, the image in my mind’s eye is not of any of the 30-strong Irish team involved.

The image is of the gracefully magnificent Sonia O’Sullivan, from Cobh, flowing down the tracks with all the grace of a Kenyan and all the gritty determination of a German.

I’m sorry if this diminishes the stature of the men and women bearing the green vest in Barcelona this week but it is a fact for me. There is some justification for it too. We have won a grand total of 10 medals in these championships since 1934 and that is a hard fact too. There have been three golden ones, five silver and two bronze.