Sonia O’Sullivan will run the real,- BERLIN MARATHON on September
25th. Race Director Mark Milde announced this second spectacular
signing for the women’s race today. The Irish world-class runner wants
to improve her current marathon best of 2:29:01 on Berlin’s fast
course. Among others she will compete against the favourite Olympic
Champion Mizuki Noguchi (Japan). A record number of 40,000 runners have
entered this year’s race.
Sonia O’Sullivan ran her marathon best of 2:29:01 in April
this year at the London Marathon which she finished eighth. But this
result doesn’t reflect her actual potential. The 35 year-old mother of
two daughters ran a world class time at the Great North Half Marathon
in Newcastle (England) in 2002 (67:19 minutes).
Back in the 90ies Sonia O’Sullivan was one of the best long
distance track runners in the world. Her basic speed (the speed at
short distances) is much better than that of Mizuki Noguchi. In 1995
Sonia O’Sullivan was the World Champion at 5,000 m. Three years later,
at the European Championships, she ran to a double triumph in the 5,000
and 10,000 m. In that same year, she had won both races at the World
Cross Country Championships (short and long distance). At present Sonia
O’Sullivan properly prepares for her race against Mizuki Noguchi in the
real,- BERLIN-MARATHON.