Sonia straight into heat of battle

ATHENS 2004/ATHLETICS: There is rarely such a thing as an easy route into an Olympic final, and Sonia O'Sullivan for sure won't have it easy tomorrow night in the heats of the women's 5,000 metres. Ian O'Riordan in Athens reports

Among those she'll be battling with for a place in Monday's final is Turkey's recent world record-holder Elvan Abeylegesse, Kenya's challenger Isabella Ochichi, and Ethiopia's world indoor champion Meseret Defer.

That was news that arrived in the Olympic stadium late last night, just as O'Sullivan was settling into her private accommodation away from the athletes' village in the northern suburb of Kifisia. The Sydney silver medallist arrived from London earlier yesterday evening, after her flight was delayed for several hours because of bad weather at Heathrow.

With 41 athletes declared for the event, two heats were drawn for tomorrow - the first set for 11.30 p.m. (9.30 Irish time) and the second, featuring O'Sullivan, just before midnight Athens time at 11.55 p.m. Those races will conclude the much-awaited opening day of athletics.

Only the first five in each heat are assured of a place in Monday's decider, and will be joined by the five fastest losers across the two heats to make a 15-athlete final. Clearly O'Sullivan can't leave any room for complacency.

Abeylegesse is by far the gold medal favourite on the back of her stunning world record run of 14:24.69 in Bergen in June. The 21-year-old, born in Ethiopia but now a resident of Istanbul, has raced sparingly since but has come here confident of gold.

O'Sullivan's best this season is the 14:58.43 she ran in California at the end of April, and only six of the 21 starters in her heat have bettered that time this season.

Ochichi, who has been in fine form on the Grand Prix circuit, and Defar, who was a late addition to the Ethiopian team, will certainly fancy their chances of making the final, as will the top Russian, Gulnara Samitiva, who has a best of 14:53.70 this season.

O'Sullivan goes in the second heat, and will know exactly the sort of time she'll need to run to at least progress as a fastest loser. But with another Kenyan, Jane Wanjiku, and the much-improved French athlete Margaret Maury (14:59.12 this season) in the mix, there can be no guarantees for anyone.

Maria McCambridge, the late call-up to the Irish team, faces something similar in the first heat, which features 20 starters. Kenya's Edith Masai has been the athlete in form, but with the two other Ethiopians and top Russian Yelena Zadorozhnaya it won't be an easy ride for the Dublin athlete. Her best of 15:05.86 from a few weeks back makes her the 11th fastest of the 20 runners.

Three other Irish athletes will be action on day one at the Olympic stadium, including James Nolan in the first of three heats in the men's 1,500 metres. His main challenger tomorrow will need no introduction - world record-holder Hicham El Guerrouj. The Moroccan is determined to put right his failures of the last two Olympics, where he fell in Atlanta and was beaten into silver in Sydney. Nolan's season's best of 3:38.75 ranks him the 11th fastest of the 14 starters.

Only the first five in each heat and the next nine fastest advance to the Sunday's semi-finals.

The Kenyan Bernard Lagat, seen as the main threat to El Guerrouj, goes in the second heat, while the third heat features the new name in 1,500 metre running this season, Rashid Ramzi, formerly of Morocco but now running for Bahrain.

With 38 athletes declared for the men's high jump, Adrian O'Dwyer won't have it easy either in tomorrow's evenly split qualifying groups. The 20-year- old Kilkenny man was drawn in Group one, and that at least has kept him away from Sweden's gold medal hope, Stefan Holm.

Qualification for Sunday's final is based on a jump of 2.28 or at least the 12 best performers. With a best of 2.30, and with only six jumpers in the group of 19 having gone higher this season, O'Dwyer can pull off what would be a historic qualification for an Olympic high jump final.

Finally, Robert Heffernan goes into action earlier tomorrow in the 20km walk as one of 48 starters. With his all-time best of 1:20.55 achieved this season, he is clearly in form for a top-20 finish.

There was some real welcome news surrounding tomorrow's opening athletics session with the Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie confirming he will take part in the 10,000 metres final despite an Achilles injury.

The two-time Olympic champion, bidding to win his third gold medal, suffered the problem training in Ethiopia last month and aggravated it in London recently. "If it was any other race I wouldn't have come," he said. "It only comes round once every four years. And just like in Sydney in 2000, I have an Achilles tendon problem. This time it is not the right leg but the left."

So inside the stadium this morning they'll do one last sweep of the Mondo track, one more test of the time-keeping, and dust down the 72,000 seats. Just 24 hours until the main show begins.