Sonia should stick with marathon, says Tegla

TEGLA LOROUPE has insisted Sonia O'Sullivan should not give up on making a success of marathon running.

O'Sullivan turned in a disappointing display in Sunday's New York marathon, finishing a lowly 12th

despite being one of the pre-race favourites. The Irish star hit the marathon wall early at 16 miles and limped home a spent force in a slow time of two hours 32 minutes and six seconds. O'Sullivan said afterwards she had no intention of tackling another marathon in the immediate future if ever, words which shocked tiny Loroupe.

The 29-year-old, who has won eight of her 19 marathons and set two world records during that time, believes O'Sullivan should try again at mastering the distance. The 5ft Kenyan, currently fighting her way back to fitness after a back injury, said: ''I think when Sonia said she might not run another marathon she wasn't speaking from the heart, it was a case of being very upset. I believe Sonia, like myself and others, can combine both the track and marathon racing. Paula (Radcliffe) has shown this year how strength gained from marathon training can help you during the summer's track season.

''She has the ability to do this and I hope when everything settles down she will be brave enough to run another marathon race.''

Despite a large crowd cheering her on, O'Sullivan suffered around the streets of the five boroughs which the New York course follows. But there was praise that the Olympic 5,000-metre silver medallist did not quit the race. Instead she plodded along the longest last 10 miles road of her life wondering what had gone wrong on a day when two million New Yorkers turned out to see Loroupe's training partners Rodgers Rop and Joyce Chepchumba take the honours for Kenya. Now O'Sullivan plans to head westwards from the US down to Melbourne with her Australian partner Nic Bideau and two daughters.