O’Sullivan withdraws from Melbourne meet in dispute over plane tickets

IRELAND’S Olympic silver medallist Sonia O’Sullivan withdrew from a high profile meet at Melbourne on Saturday night in a row over plane tickets.

The highly-anticipated 5000m showdown between rising Australian Benita Johnson and O’Sullivan failed to materialise after the Irish star

returned home, claiming she was treated shabbily by event organisers who refused to pay her air fare.

Several international athletes, including American 400m runner Alvin Harrison, have had their travel paid by Athletics Australia to compete in the Telstra A-series.

Athletics Australia’s decision not to come up with the appropriate plane ticket has left O’Sullivan, a regular on the local circuit, disillusioned and angry.

“She made herself available to run, but the offer was so small that for someone of her standing she couldn’t possibly consider it,” O’Sullivan’s partner and prominent track coach Nick Bideau said.

“We tried to get them to come around, but it was much less than she had ever been offered before.

“There was obviously no interest from Athletics Australia to have her run,” he said.

The loss of O’Sullivan, plus the absence of a pacemaker, has disappointed Johnson, who was hoping the presence of one of the world’s best would push her to a personal best.

“It would have been great to have Sonia there, but she has got to do what is best for her,” said the disappointed Johnson.