Sonia enters race for seat on world athletics’ council

SONIA O’SULLIVAN has been nominated by Athletics Ireland for election to the Council of the IAAF, the world governing body for athletics.

The multi-world and European champion and Olympic silver medallist has been nominated for both female individual membership and individual membership and, according to Athletics Ireland president, Liam Hennessy, her profile makes her an outstanding candidate for the elections which take place at this year’s world championships in Daegu.

“From our point of view and with her background in the sport, her current involvement with the sport — particularly her role as Chef de Mission for next year’s Olympic Games — she makes an ideal candidate,” he said from Frankfurt last night where he is attending his first meeting as a member of the EAA Council.

She is a candidate for one of the six female members on the council and for one of nine individual members, so she will go before delegates twice.

And everyone will know exactly who the Cork woman is. She is former European champion at 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m, world champion at 5,000m and two-time world cross-country champion. She was silver medallist in the 5,000m at the Sydney Olympics and the gold medallist, Gabriella Szabo, is also seeking election.

And today fans will have another opportunity to see her in action when she competes in the Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon. It will be her first competitive marathon in years but will still go to the line as favourite to win the women’s title.

The race will feature Ireland’s marathon woman, Lucy Brennan from Sligo, who has won the race for the past three years and has made this and many other races like the Longford Marathon her own.

Angela McCann (Clonmel) and Mary O’Leary (FC Perlack) who were second and third last year, are also among the entries. Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) set a new course record at 2:25:54 when he won last year and returns to defend his title, but there could be a home victory.

Last year Colin Merritt (Carraig na bhFear AC) finished third — he was second to Roy Fahey (East Cork) a year earlier after finishing fourth in the inaugural event — and the indications are that he could pose a big challenge for the title once again this year.

There is an entry of more than 1,500 for the marathon which is a new introduction to the programme, with another 1,200 taking part in the half marathon with 800 teams of two and five people — all running for a particular charity — completing a massive turn-out of participants

The Marathon and Team Relay will get under way on St. Patrick’s Street at 9am while the Half Marathon will start on the Ringmahon Road at 11.30am. Access to the start line will be via Skehard Road only.