O’Sullivan believes she is at her best
O’Sullivan believes she is in her best shape of her season - including the build-up to the world championships in Paris.
The presence of Paula Radcliffe tomorrow in Edinburgh means that for the first time ever the women’s race has pushed the men’s event back into the shadows.
Radcliffe, twice world cross-country champion in Ostend and Leopardstown, wants to reclaim the title and very few think she will be beaten in tomorrow’s showpiece - except O’Sullivan.
The Cobh woman is hopeful of team medals for Ireland but she left no one in any doubt yesterday about her personal ambitions.
“Every time you get on the line you want to win,” she said. “We have what I would regard as a pretty strong team but we are going out there and we don’t really know how strong the other teams are.
“There are so many people out there that you would not normally see running in a championship that it is quite likely there could be an upset people can surprise themselves.
“I am going out there to have a go. I would not be here if I did not think I had a chance of winning. I am not just here to make up numbers or anything like that.”
She insisted: “Once I heard that the race was in Edinburgh I always felt I would like to run here.
“I am definitely in good shape I would think I am the best I have been all year. I have never been so fit in December.”
She predicted an exciting race and admitted that Radcliffe would have to be regarded as the favourite.
The British heroine singled the Irish team out as the big threat to hopes of a team victory for Britain but did not comment on whether she considered Sonia the main threat.
“Whenever she runs a race she is always ready for it,” O’Sullivan insisted.
“She was beaten in Japan but she still ran a fast time. I think her big disappointment was the fact that she wanted to run under 30 minutes and she didn’t do that. But she ran really well.”
Last year’s winner, Helena Javornik of Slovenia, has withdrawn from the race feeling the affects of a long season and pointing out that she needed a rest before preparing for Olympic year.
But last year’s silver medallist, Galina Bogomolova of Russia, and third placed Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey are included in the line-up and the Turk, who was born in Ethiopia, will have learned from last year’s race when she made her move far too early.
The race will show Catherina McKiernan at what point she is at in her return to world class competition. Her decision to compete this year was fired by the prospect of team medals and, despite a bout of ‘flu which caused her to miss valuable training days, she is happy to make it to the line.
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