Sonia O'Sullivan disappointed in the IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Madrid on Saturday night, coming home fifteenth of sixteen finishers in a bruising 1500m. The Irish record holder (3:58.85, 1995) struggled with the early pace set by front running 35-year-old American Suzy Favor Hamilton, the eventual race winner.
O'Sullivan recently ran 4:09.86 but seems to be off the pace at the moment, fading over the final 200m of the third lap in humid stadium conditions. The 33-year-old Cobh athlete finished in 4:19.44, just 0.13 seconds ahead of last placed Rocio Rodriguez from Spain.
Britain's Jo Pavey did well to finish second to Hamilton, following on from her recent personal best in Rome, 4:02.03. The major talking point of the race was a pile-up involving Britain's Kelly Holmes, Moroccan Hasna Benhassi and Russian Olga Komyagina, seeing four athletes tumble out of the race.
Filed by Shane Murray
