The natural: From Cobh to top of the world with Sonia O'Sullivan

Safi, a port city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, is not the kind of place you expect to be reminded of the seismic and lasting impact of an athlete from Cobh.

But there I was, sitting in a restaurant on the eve of a half marathon when in walked Hicham El Guerrouj, a two-time Olympic champion, four-time world champion and the fastest mile/1500m runner of all time. A mutual friend soon made some introductions and when El Guerrouj flagged my clear and obvious Irishness, he turned to his friend: “We were just talking about Sonia O’Sullivan an hour ago!”