This afternoon.
Victoria Road, Cork city.
Sonia O’Sullivan races past a mural of locally-based Irish Olympic rower Sanita Puspure – currently a world champion in women’s single sculls – unveiled by Indeed, partners of Team Ireland at the Tokyo Games (starting this weekend).
Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Later today.
At the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown, Dublin.
Ireland’s greatest ever running athlete Sonia O’Sullivan, who turns 50 today, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Irish Life Health Athletics Awards.
Chairman and CEO of Savvy Sports Management and former Ireland international race walker Pierce O’Callaghan has usefully tweeted every race, medal, international cap won by Sonia between 1985 and 2015 here.
In fairness.
Pic: Inpho Photography
From top: breast cancer survivor Jill Murphy (centre) with Sonia O’Sullivan and her daughter Sophie O’Sullivan, Alfie, a 2-year-old Maltese; Sonia and Sophie
This afternoon.
The launch of the 9th Great Pink Run with Glanbia and Avonmore which will take place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin on Saturday, October 19, Kilkenny Castle Park, Kilkenny on Sunday, October 20 and also at Diversey Harbor, Chicago, USA on October 5.
The events are open to men, women and children for both the 10K challenge and the 5K fun run all in support of Breast Cancer Ireland‘s research and awareness programmes.
Register here
Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Sonia O’Sullivan celebrates after winning a silver medal in the Sydney Olympics in 2000
“Was I cheated out of medals? Earlier in my career I tolerated a lot and just got on with training. Sometimes to such an extent that injury and illness were almost inevitable, and too often were. But I didn’t know any better. As an athlete I never wanted to let what others were up to bother or distract me. This wasn’t me being naive. It wasn’t something I could control. And I didn’t want to let it become an excuse.”
“… So I never said anything or questioned anyone because I felt this would only take energy away from me. And I knew I was doing the right thing. Some athletes were getting away with doing the wrong thing, over and over again, so that they believed that is what it took to be the best.”
“Only the athletes who never cheat truly know what they have achieved. There is no test for honesty, integrity, hard work.”
Sonia O’Sullivan
Sonia O’Sullivan: many countries have sub-standard drug-testing (Irish Times)
Pic: RTÉ
Garbo, a puppy-in-training-to-be-a-guide-dog with Sonia O’Sullivan and her daughter Sophie earlier. Sonia chose the Guide Dogs for the Blind as her charity for the torch whatsit.
(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
