Sonia sets her sights on the Big Apple

SONIA O’Sullivan’s superb world 10 miles record in yesterday’s BUPA Great South Run may have proved another decisive step towards the gifted Olympic 5,000 metres silver medallist running in November’s New York Marathon.

The long legs of the Cobh woman helped her storm around the seaside roads of Portsmouth in 51 minutes dead, clearly suggesting that after an illustrious track career - which she still intends pursuing - O’Sullivan is steering a course for the Big Apple on November 3.

Yet even after slicing a healthy 16 seconds from the previous world 10 miles best of US citizen Colleen De Reuck, then running in South African colours achieved in Washington four years ago, O’Sullivan remained tight-lipped about her marathon career. But the steady programme of road races which she has undertaken in the last few weeks and has planned over the next month, clearly indicate O’Sullivan is building herself up for an autumn marathon.