O'Sullivan headlines at Cork

Athletics News: Star attractions at the Cork City Sports still don't come any bigger than Sonia O'Sullivan, and yesterday the Olympic silver medallist confirmed her participation for the 52nd edition of the event, which this year takes place on Saturday, July 5th.

O'Sullivan will step down to the 1,500 metres for what will be one of her few preparation races for the World Championships in Paris in late August. She will also open her track season just a few days previously by running the 3,000 metres at the IAAF Grand Prix in Lausanne on July 1st.

Speaking at the launch of the event in Cork yesterday, O'Sullivan was clearly satisfied that her season was back on track after several months of injury earlier in the year, and the next major target is the 5,000 metres in Paris.

"I need to run some 1,500s and 3,000s before the World Championships," said O'Sullivan, "where I will definitely concentrate on the 5,000 metres. But I'm back now to where I want to be, and with that road race in Manchester on Monday I have the confirmation and the reassurance of what shape I'm in."

Next Monday afternoon O'Sullivan returns to the Women's Mini Marathon in Dublin, a race she won in 2000, for a head-to-head with Catherina McKiernan, before heading off for a month of altitude training in San Moritz.

The organisers in Cork have already assembled a challenging field for O'Sullivan, with Jennifer Twomey (US), Hayley Tullett (England) and Jackline Maranga (Kenya) among the confirmed starters.

Tomorrow, meanwhile, sees the climax of the Irish Schools athletics season with the Kit Kat Track and Field championships in Tullamore - starting at 9 a.m.

Over the past month around 16,000 athletes have been attempting to qualify for the finals, which are run over nine hours of competition.

Among the most eagerly anticipated events are the senior girls' 100 and 200 metres, where Aoife McNeill (Our Lady's Grove) and Claire Bergin (Muckross Park) will go head-to-head.

The middle distance events are as competitive as ever, with the senior boys 5,000 metres promising a great battle between Joe Sweeney (Coláiste Eoin) and Kevin Seaward (St Malachy's), while the senior boys 800 metres will produce several challengers to recent Leinster champion Dara Green (DLS Dundalk).

Also included on the programme at Tullamore are two promotions - billed as the Races of Champions - of the Irish Milers Club. James Nolan will start the favourite in the men's 1,500 metres (4.50 start) and Freda Davoren likewise in the women's 800 metres (2.15).

Finally, details have been announced of the Irish team for the European Youth Olympics, which take place in Paris from July 26th. The 80-strong squad will include a girls' under-17 football side for the first time, as well as several medal contenders in athletics, cycling, gymnastics, judo, swimming and table tennis.

IRISH EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC TEAM 2003: Tom Rafter (Chef de Mission); Billy Kennedy (Deputy Chef de Mission); Martin Burke (Administrator); Dr David Fegan (Medical); Dr Marie Elaine Grant (Physiotherapy); Athletics: Aine Popjoy, John McGrath, Tony Ennis, Mary Burgoyne, Tony Barnett, Thomas Coughlan, Kevin McCoy, Des Earls, Colin Costello, James King, Peter Shallow, Denis Finnegan, Stephen Darcy, Eamon Byrne, Louis Kiernan, Gemma Thompson, Laura Crowe, Elizabeth McWilliams, Linda Byrne, Ciara Durkin, Leona Byrne, Claire McNamara, Jennifer Reddy, Kathleen Fitzgerald; Girls' Football: Noel King (Coach), plus squad of 16 players to be selected following trials in June; Gymnastics: Nicola McGlade, Sarah Hopkins; Judo: Mark Forde, Sean Sullivan, Georgina Folan, Niamh Kavanagh, Richard Gorey, Daniel Grimley; Swimming: Marion Fenton, Brian Sweeney, Alan Turner, Amy Cadden, Laura McDonnell, Jane McConnell, Hayley Burke, Orla McGandy, Shane Ahern, Michael Hann, David Kelly, Conor Hughes, Sean Redmond, Adam Clarke, Michael Timmins, Kevin Brazil; Cycling: Padraig Marrey, Kenneth Dunlop, Martin Munroe, Adam Petrie Armstrong, Cian Lanigan; Table Tennis: John O'Donoghue, Keith Knox, Shane Dolan, Amy Tobin, Fiona Mernagh