Heroine heralded at homecoming

We have seen it all before. Gold medals paraded through Dublin Airport after one of Ireland's great sporting occasions. With Sonia O Sullivan, however, you just had to feel that this moment was deserved more than any other in what must now be regarded as the greatest Irish athletics performance - of this generation at least.

Even with world and European medals already adorning her mantelpiece, the double gold of Budapest will take precedence, coming, as they did, in the most thrilling circumstances.

"I never felt that I had anything to prove," said O'Sullivan, on her arrival back in Dublin last night. "It was more like taking a test and after all the study, all I had to do was pass."

It was a little more than a pass result, of course, taking the 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals in arguably the most impressive style of the European championships.

"The main purpose to coming home tonight is because I felt that I had to bring these gold medals back to Ireland as quickly as possible," added O'Sullivan. "I believe that the people of Ireland who have supported me over the years are a great part of me winning these medals. I want to share the victory and celebrations here for that reason."

After so much disappointment in recent years, in Atlanta, Athens and tracks around Europe, this was the Sonia we wanted and always will remember.

"I know how all of you feel because I felt the same way the other night. It was the same thing for me watching the likes of Mark Carroll and James McIlroy, with me jumping up and down with excitement so I know all about the emotions of watching this on television.

"I will continue on and run a few races but I didn't want to stop the celebrations and get serious too quickly so I figured I would take just one more day out and enjoy it."

Her immediate plans? "Probably to go to bed soon. But I will be going down to Cork at the end of the season when I have time to relax and walk about the streets of Cobh and Cork and enjoy myself."

"Right now, of course, this is the best because of how I feel, although you can't go back over every race because they all have their special moments. Rather than look back, I'm still thinking of things I've never done before and setting myself new challenges and new goals."

Few people could argue with the nature of this success, not even those with the nerve to suggest her tactics against Gabriella Szabo, the Romanian woman who eventually succumbed to Sonia's finishing kick, were intimidatory.

"Tell me, how do you run a fair race? She put herself in front and I didn't stop her, so when she had a problem she could have turned around and ran behind us."

Then, of course, came the tributes, first of all from Chairman of the Irish Sports Council, John Treacy, who himself greeted a similar reception 14 years ago following his silver medal at the Olympic marathon.

"We had great joy watching Sonia and all the Irish athletes perform so gallantly during the week," said Treacy. "It was probably the most wonderful week in the history of Irish athletics."

Nick Davis, President of the athletics body, BLE, added his own tribute. "I've established quite a reputation as a die-hard statistician, but I have to be honest, when somebody asked me what the last 200 metre spring was timed at I had no idea because I was overcome with the excitement of that finish."

Ireland's other European championship medal winner, Mark Carroll, - who won bronze in the men's 5,000 metres on Saturday night - paid tribute to Sonia O'Sullivan yesterday.

"She's been through a lot herself in the last couple of years - it's a great test of her character. It shows how tough Sonia is mentally as well as physically. It's great to see her back in top form," he said. Mark from Knocknaheeny in Cork was speaking after being welcomed back to Cork by the city's Lord Mayor Cllr Joe O'Flynn who praised him for his achievement in overcoming recent injuries to take third place in the 5,000m. Mark's parents John and Ann and his brothers, Paul and Brian and sisters, Regina and Fiona were all present at Cork Airport to greet him along with his former coaches, Br Dooley from the North Monastery and Der Donovan from Leevale.

"It's great to be back home with the people who helped me get to where I am to day - so I'm going to enjoy it," said Mark who won a European Junior medal in 1991 but was forced to miss the 1996 Olympics through injury. "I've had a lot of trouble with injuries but winning a medal at the European Championships like this is just fantastic. It's a real springboard for my confidence going into next year's World Championships and the Olympics in Sydney in 2000."