Olympic hopeful Sonia O'Sullivan will have the chance to show off her Sydney credentials tomorrow when she returns to the track in Helsinki - the venue where six years ago she won her first senior international championship title.
She races over the same 3000m distance in which she became the first ever Irishwoman to win a European title. Having missed all of last summer's track season awaiting the birth of her daughter, O'Sullivan's road race programme has since seen her obtain the Olympic qualifying marks for 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m.
She has yet to reveal what her Sydney programme will be, and her race in Finland will be the first chance she has to consider her preferred distance.
O'Sullivan will face Kenyan pair Leah and Rose Cheruiyot, plus Ethiopia's world 5000m silver medallist Ayelech Worku in Helsinki's Olympic Stadium.
Thirty-year-old O'Sullivan is excited about returning to the European circuit but vowed not to under-estimate her African rivals. The double world cross-country champion said: "Being my first race of the season I absolutely don't know what to expect - but I am fairly confident I will run well.
"There's no such thing as a weak field in any Grand Prix race. I would never discount anybody. I respect every opponent particularly in Olympic year where everyone is keen to do their best and earn selection for the games."
