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As she did in 1994, Sonia O'Sullivan completely dominated the
international distance running scene during 1995. Coincidentally, as
she had done in 1994, O'Sullivan set the fastest time of the year in
four events, the 1500m, 1 mile, 2000m and 3000m, and the second fastest
time in the 5000m. Sonia was the winner of 11 of the 12 races in which
she competed over 1500m or 1 mile during 1995. These victories included
the only sub-4 minute 1500m time recorded during the year, a new Irish
record of 3min 58.85sec set at the Herculis meet in Monaco on 25 July.
In the 3000m, O'Sullivan was clearly in a class above her rivals,
winning all five of her races, and producing four of the six fastest
times, including the year's fastest time of 8min 27.57sec at the
Weltklasse meet in Zurich on 16 August. Her other 3000m victories
included the Bislett Games in Oslo on 21 July, and the Grand Prix final
in Monaco on 9 September. O'Sullivan was left with the dilemma leading
up to the World Championships at Gothenburg, of whether to compete in
the 1500m or the 5000m. She had been unbeaten at 5000m before
Gothenburg, although the fastest time of the year, a new world record,
had been set by Portugal's Fernanda Ribeiro.
In the end, O'Sullivan
chose the 5000m, and, after easily winning her heat on 10 August (see photo above),
she kicked clear of Ribeiro in the final two days later, to win the
world title in 14min 46.47sec. Three weeks later, on 1 September, at
the ISTAF meeting in Berlin, Sonia again battled over 5000m with the new
world record holder Ribeiro, and again O'Sullivan was victorious,
winning in a time of 14min 41.40sec, a new Irish record, and the third
fastest 5000m of all time. (Ron Casey)
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