Sonia set for the long haul

SONIA O’SULLIVAN plans to join the medal contenders for the upcoming world championships in Paris when she lines up for a star-studded 5,000m at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in London tomorrow night and she revealed last evening that she will compete over the same distance at the Woodies DIY national championships in Morton Stadium on Sunday.

Originally the plan was to race 1,500m in the nationals but all that has changed as the former world champion gets down to the serious end of the business of preparing for the world championships which get under way in the Stade de France at Saint-Denis on August 23 with the heats of the 5,000m down for decision on August 26 and the final four days later.

All the reports from London indicate the 1995 world champion is training much better than her racing would suggest and she admitted yesterday that has been somewhat cautious on the track up to now.