Sonia's time her fastest since 2000

Sonia O'Sullivan recorded her fastest 3,000m time since Zurich 2000 at the Mardyke yesterday (8:38.99) when wining the BUPA 3,000 metres race in superb style.

Taking the lead midway during the second lap, O’Sullivan cruised to victory in the fastest time ever

recorded in Ireland at the venue where 15 years to the day she launched her career as a junior athlete.

O’Sullivan will now turn attention to the National Championships next Sunday where she will again try to reach for the qualifying standard for the European Championships.

"I have entered both the 1500m and the 5,000m race next weekend," Sonia O’Sullivan said.

"I am not sure what race I will run yet. I will decide after my week’s training but right now as I

look forward to the Nationals my priorty for the Europeans is the 10,000m.

"I want to record the time for the 5,000 metres as soon as I can. Then I can have the option of entering both races in Germany if I so wish. Today was great.

"I got a great reception from the fans and they helped me greatly when I had to run most of the race on my own," O’Sullivan added.

"I did not bother with the clock. I used the crowd and their reaction to me to keep me focused and on

time to set a very fast time."

Una English finished second (8:54.73) with Amy Rudolph finishing third in a time of 9:02.62.

Corkman Mark Carroll’s day ended in disaster when he was forced to pullout of the men’s 5,000m, which was won by Kenyan Willy Kirui (13:18.95 in the second fastest time ever run in Cork) with just two and a half laps to go.

Not surprisingly Carroll was totally despondent after the race.

"I’m at a loss to explain why this happened," Carroll said.

"I felt very heavy and didn’t feel strong or fast during the race. This was only my second race since

the fall and I need more races. I missed the whole indoor season and that has had a bigger effect than I thought.

"I will still run in Rome on Friday but maybe I will enter the 1500m at the National Championship as well in this day week. I need to get the life back in my legs," Carroll added.

Kenya completed a clean sweep of the 5,000m with Simon Maina (13:19.44) in second and John Kanyi (13:27.27) in third.

The women’s 100-metre dash was won by Shani Anderson from England in a time of 11.32 seconds. Amazingly in this race there was no Irish entry.

Diane Allahgreen (11.50) also from England came home in second, while Sarah Wilhemy (11.63) came home in third to make it an English one, two, three.

Jamaican Dwight Thomas caused the first upset of the day in the men’s 100 metres piping favourite Greg Saddler from the United States in a time of 10.15 seconds.

Saddler finishing in a time of 10.16 while Aaron Armstrong came third in 10.27.

James McIlroy from Great Britian won a very fast men’s 800m race in a time of 1:46.88 ahead of Kenya’s Michael Rotich and in third was Bryan Berryhill of the United States.

The men’s 400m race was won by Jamaican Sanjah Ayre in a time of 45.72 (A new Irish All-comers record).

Robert Daly from Ireland finished third in that race in a time of 46.20 seconds with Allaney Francique from Grenada separating those two in second place.

The women’s 200m race was a classic with England’s Shani Anderson (22.96) completing a memorable double with Ireland’s Ciara Sheehy (23.37) finishing second recording her best outdoor time ever in Ireland.

Erica Witter from Canada finished third in a time of 23.85seconds while Aaron Armstrong won the men’s 200m title.