SONIA O'Sullivan ended her self imposed absence from international athletics with a winning performance in Riete, Italy, yesterday.

Making her first appearance since her dramatic eclipse in the Atlanta Olympics, O'Sullivan won the 3,000 metres from Kenyans Daily Barbosio and Pauline Konga, in eight minutes 50.14 seconds.

It was some way outside her personal best for the distance and at times she looked less than fluent as she struggled to cope with the African challenge.

Reassuringly, however, she was able to find the find the old finishing speed when Konga, the silver medallist in the 5,000 metres in Atlanta, and Barbosio gathered for the big charge on the last lap.

After the American, Sarah Torsett, had led for a couple of laps, O'Sullivan took control of the race without ever detaching herself from the chasing Kenyans.

At the bell, Barbosio and Konga moved to her shoulder but the Irish woman resisted the challenge before accelerating with 200 metres to go. The Kenyans were unable to respond and O'Sullivan gradually widened the gap to win by five metres.

Sinead Delahunty, in fifth place, ran well without ever making contact with the leaders.

O'Sullivan, plainly relieved, quickly left the track. A decision on whether she stays in Italy for the Grand Prix finals in Milan next Friday has yet to be made. A spokesman for the Kim McDonald camp said that she would wait to see if there was any reaction to yesterday's race before finalising her plans.