31 Facts About Sonia O'Sullivan

Sonia O'Sullivan was born on 28 November 1969 and is an Irish former track and field athlete.

Sonia O'Sullivan won a gold medal in the 5000 metres at the 1995 World Championships, and a silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 2000 Olympic Games.

Sonia O'Sullivan is one of two women who won the short and long course World Cross Country title at the same championship.

In 1993, Sonia O'Sullivan established herself as one of the world's top middle-distance runners.

Sonia O'Sullivan finished the race 4th in a time of 8:33.8.

Sonia O'Sullivan finished the Grand Prix season in 2nd place in the Women's Overall competition.

Sonia O'Sullivan finished the Grand Prix season in 3rd place in the Women's Overall standings.

Sonia O'Sullivan competed in her first indoor competition for five years at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics in Paris in March 1997.

Sonia O'Sullivan concluded her year by winning the BUPA Great North Run.

Sonia O'Sullivan took a break from competition for most of 1999, during which time she gave birth to her daughter, Ciara, on 10 July 1999.

Sonia O'Sullivan finished a close second in this race to Romanian Gabriela Szabo in a time of 8:27.58.

Sonia O'Sullivan became only the second Irish woman to win an Olympic Medal, after Michelle Smith and the first Irish Track and Field Olympic Medalist since John Treacy took silver in Los Angeles in 1984.

In March 2001, Sonia O'Sullivan decided to compete in the World Indoor Championships.

Sonia O'Sullivan returned in March 2002 for the World Cross Country Championships, being held in Dublin.

Sonia O'Sullivan finished a respectable 7th in the Short Race, and led Ireland to Team Bronze.

At the European Championships in Munich later that year, Sonia O'Sullivan attempted a defence of the two European golds she had won in 1998.

Sonia O'Sullivan admitted she had been outclassed in the race by Paula Radcliffe, saying that only world record holder Wang Junxia could have beaten the British girl on the night.

Sonia O'Sullivan ended an excellent season by winning her second BUPA Great North Run title in a national record time of 67:19.

Sonia O'Sullivan started well with a win at the newly inaugurated Great Ireland Run, but she struggled during the summer Grand Prix races.

Sonia O'Sullivan struggled to find her best form throughout the year.

However, in the final, Sonia O'Sullivan, who was suffering from an illness, finished last of the 14 finishers, well over a lap behind the winner Meseret Defar.

Sonia O'Sullivan was given a hero's reception by the crowd as she completed her last lap.

In January 2006, Sonia O'Sullivan applied for dual citizenship, which would allow her to compete for both Ireland and Australia.

On 14 February 2007, Sonia O'Sullivan said she planned to retire after the Great Ireland Run on 15 April, having said the previous year that she planned to run competitively until the 2012 Olympics in London.

Sonia O'Sullivan later confirmed that she would retire at the end of the 2007 season.

In March 2008, Sonia O'Sullivan was appointed team manager of the Australian team for the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 2012, Sonia O'Sullivan carried the Olympic flame when it arrived in Dublin on 6 June.

Sonia O'Sullivan carried the flame onto St Stephen's Green and lit an Olympic cauldron.

Sonia O'Sullivan was made chef de mission for Team Ireland at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Sonia O'Sullivan is married to Nic Bideau and lives in Melbourne, Australia, together they have two daughters, Ciara, and Sophie.

Sonia O'Sullivan has written two books "Running To Stand Still" published in 2001 and "Sonia O'Sullivan My Story" in 2008.