O'Sullivan ready for Radcliffe's challenge

SONIA O'SULLIVAN is expecting the big challenge will come from Paula Radcliffe when she sets out in defence of her European 10,000m title at the Olympic Stadium in Munich tomorrow night.

But the Irish woman, who had an unprecedented and yet to be equalled 10,000m/5,000m double in Budapest four years ago, is ready for the challenge.

Last weekend she ran a 7.5km road race around Park in London and went through the opening 5,000m in 14:57 world record pace if it was during a 10,000m race on the track to satisfy herself that she can cope with that type of speed when the newly crowned Commonwealth Games champion piles on the pressure early on in tomorrow's race.