Sonia O’Sullivan took a break from the track in 1999, when she gave birth to her daughter Ciara, on 10 July 1999. Just ten days after giving birth she was back training.
The Cork woman showed her form had returned by running a half marathon in 70 minutes 05 seconds on 10 October.
That winter, O’Sullivan competed in the Australian domestic outdoor season, recording a fastest time over 5000m of 15m10.24s in Sydney on 13 February 2000.
Back in Europe, her good form continued, notably at the Weltklasse meet in Zurich on 11 August, where she produced her best 3000m of the year. O’Sullivan was beaten in that race by Romanian Gabriela Szabo in a time of 8:27.58.
At the Games in Sydney, O’Sullivan won her 5000m heat, in a time of 15:07.91. Three days later, O’Sullivan won silver, behind Szabo, in a National Record of 14:41.02.
The Corkonian became only the second Irishwoman to win an Olympic medal, after Michelle Smith. She was also Ireland’s first track and field medallist since John Treacy at the 1984 Olympics.
