In-form O’Sullivan eyes 20km title, but Russians threaten

WORLD 5,000m record-holder Gillian O’Sullivan is hoping to extend her wonderful spell of form to 20km in the women’s final at the European championships in Munich.

Her world record for 5,000m 20:02.60 would equate to about 1:27.00 for 20km, and if she was to reproduce that form over the longer distance this morning, she would certainly walk all the way to the podium.

The favourite will undoubtedly be Russian Elena Nikolayeva, who posted 1:27.02 in Cheboksary in May, and she will expect her biggest threat to come from the home country, in Natalya Fedoskina. Fedoskina is next to her in world rankings, with a seasonal best of 1:27.45 from her win in Adler in February.