O'Sullivan may double up in Sydney

The International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) has finalised the athletics programme for the Sydney Olympics after reaching an agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at a meeting in Monte Carlo yesterday.

The revised timetable will allow Sonia O'Sullivan to attempt the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres double, and American sprinter Marion Jones will have the chance to capture a record five gold medals.

O'Sullivan has made the 10,000 metres her prime target, but the final timetable will also increase the possibility of the double similar to that achieved in the European Championships in Budapest last year. On that occasion, the 10,000 metres was run as a straight final, with a day's rest before the 5,000 metre heats. The final was two days after that.

In Sydney, the 5,000 metres will take place first, starting with the heats on September 22nd, the opening day of athletics, with two days rest before the final. There will be another day's rest before the 10,000 metres heats.

Although Jones is still recovering from the back spasms which forced her to withdraw from the World Championships in Seville last month, she is aiming for gold in the 100 and 200 metres, the 4x100 and 4x400 metre relays and the long jump. There were fears there would not be enough rest time between the long jump and sprint finals for Jones to go for five titles, but the new schedule includes a rest day between the qualification rounds and finals of jumping events.

The final programme clears up the period of uncertainty following the announcement by the IAAF technical delegates in July that it planned to change the timetable months after the Sydney Organisers (SOCOG) had started selling Olympic tickets to the Australian public. In the end, 11 finals have been rescheduled. The most significant change sees the 1,500 metres on day 14 of the Games, one day earlier than scheduled. Other final dates changed are the men's and women's 400 metres hurdles and discus, the men's steeplechase and the women's 800, 5,000, 10,000 metres, shot put and hammer throw.

It was also agreed to allow at least one rest day between the heats and finals of races exceeding 800 metres and in the 400 metre hurdles. The programme now makes it possible for men and women to double in the 100 and 200 metres; 200 and 400 metres and 5,000 and 10,000 metres. But only women will be able to double in the 800 and 1,500 metres.

News of the final timetable came on the day Sydney celebrated the one-year countdown to the opening ceremony for the 2000 Games. In Dublin, the one year countdown was marked by a gathering at the Australian Embassy, at which the ambassador, Bob Halverson, was host.