Sonia focused for renewed rivalry with Radcliffe

Here we go again. Another major championships, and the promise of another great night on the track for Sonia O'Sullivan. Hold on tight to the TV remote. Maybe grab a pillow too. What will unfold in Munich's spectacular Olympic Stadium tonight is what keeps athletics alive: an irresistible confrontation, and an unrivalled display of effort and endurance. Ian O'Riordan reports from Munich

Of all the athletes set to compete at this 18th edition of the European Championships, two who need the least introduction to each other are Sonia O'Sullivan and Paula Radcliffe. When they line-up in tonight's 10,000 metre final (8 p.m. Irish time) they renew a rivalry that dates back six years now, and has taken in every major championships since.

Four years ago in Budapest when O'Sullivan won the European 10,000 metre title, Radcliffe was still a little short of her peak. She finished fifth that night in what was considered a decent run. The lines have probably crossed now and, at 28, Radcliffe has hit the sort of form most athletes only dream about.

Though O'Sullivan has definite ambitions for the Athens Olympics and beyond, Munich is likely to be one of the closing chapters to her long, unforgettable track career. It's already been a low-key season, with the Grand Prix races now something she avoids.

But even as she approaches her 33rd birthday there is no ceasing of the fire for championship running. Since returning from the birth of her second daughter, Sophie, earlier this year O'Sullivan has geared everything towards Munich. The quest to retain her 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles has been absolute.

Yesterday morning, as she strolled around the athletes village with Sophie, O'Sullivan seemed no less enthusiastic for the tasks ahead than when she first appeared on this stage in Split in 1990. She finished 11th, then never lost another race at European championship level.

"Well I'm feeling absolutely fine," she said, "and I'm just really looking forward to the race. I've been thinking about it now for the past two weeks and when I do start thinking like that I'm more focused. You are making all these sacrifices and all the hard work and you want to get some kind of reward for that."

The start lists say that 27 other athletes toe the line tonight, yet few of the trusted track statisticians are looking beyond O'Sullivan and Radcliffe for the winning performance. Portugal's enduring hope, Fernanda Ribeiro, has run the fourth fastest time this season but looks past the form that saw her win gold in 1994 and take silver behind O'Sullivan in 1998.

Romania's latest talent, Mihaela Botezan, has clocked the fastest time in the world in 2002 and should mix it with the leaders for quite a while. But as the 25 laps count down only one picture seems likely to emerge: Radcliffe pushing a relentless pace, and O'Sullivan waiting for an unbeatable kick.

Anyone who witnessed Radcliffe's awesome run over 5,000 metres at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 10 days ago were left believing that all she has to do is turn-up in Munich. One British newspaper even suggested she could win by a whole lap.

Certainly her time of 14 minutes 31.42 seconds - just three seconds off the world record and the fifth fastest ever - was groundbreaking. Two of the faster times are by the under-suspicion Chinese. Another is by Russia's Olga Yegorova, whose record with the drug testers isn't so clean. Gete Wami of Ethiopia ran 14:30.88 two years ago and some people view that as the true world record.

Even more impressive about Radcliffe in Manchester was the way she ran. Kenya's Edith Masai is no slouch but she was quickly burnt off and Radcliffe was alone for most of the closing laps. Winning the gold medal after years of acting as runner-up on the track just confirmed her current status as the leading women's distance runner in the world. On the track, cross-country and the marathon, this year she's been almost untouchable.

There was also unprecedented confidence in her voice when she spoke to the media yesterday as British team captain. It was almost unnerving: "I always come to major championships in as good a shape as I possibly can. I think this year the fact that everything has gone so well means I have a lot more confidence.

"I feel a lot more relaxed coming here, and the Commonwealth (Games) definitely gave my confidence another great boost. I've made sure I've recovered well from that and I'm just going out now to run my own race."

Any suggestion of the gold medal being decided between herself and O'Sullivan was quickly played down: "Well Sonia is running well and I've always had a lot of respect for her. But I think Fernanda Ribeiro may be a more dangerous threat over 10,000 metres if she's in good shape. And I'm not going out thinking I've got to try and get rid of people. I want to run like I did in Manchester, and surge when I feel strong."

Radcliffe has also been talking about the European record, 30:13.74, set by Ingrid Kristiansen in 1986. Not necessarily of going for it, but just that she's capable of it, and that's an indication of the sort of time O'Sullivan will need to run if she wants to retain her title.

It's also the sort of time O'Sullivan is talking about. While Radcliffe was burning up the track in Manchester, she was putting herself on a similar sort of tempo run in London's Bushy Park - against men. It was a non-pressure time-trial but the clock suggested that sub-30:30 was on. "I know I'll have to keep the concentration," O'Sullivan said. "And no gaps, no gaps, no gaps."

If there is no gap going into the final few laps, O'Sullivan still has the legs to unleash that winning sprint. Yet there is the real, real danger that Radcliffe's pace is currently unmatchable, and that O'Sullivan's race may really be for the silver medal.

Sonia O'Sullivan

Age: 32

Personal best: 30:53.37 (2000)

Season's best: 31:33.19

Championship record: Ran the event for the first time at European Championships in Budapest in 1998 and won gold medal in 31:29.33. Ran Irish record of 30:53.37 when finishing sixth in Sydney Olympic final, after taking silver over 5,000 metres.

Paula Radcliffe

Age: 28

Personal best: 30:26.97 (2000)

Season's best: None this year

Championship record: In 1998 took fifth place in a time of 31:36.51 in Budapest. Won silver at the World Championships in Seville in 1999 and then fourth place in the Sydney Olympics after leading for most the race. Fourth again in Edmonton last summer.

On Television/Network 2, BBC 1, BBC 2 and Eurosport