Sonia takes victory in her stride

Sonia O'Sullivan yesterday responded with ease to her first test of form this year when winning the Australian Cross Country trials. O'Sullivan led the 6km race at the University of Ballarat in New South Wales from gun to tape for a comfortable victory in 20 minutes 25.15 seconds.

It was her first race since coming down from seven weeks altitude training at Falls Creek, north of Melbourne, and there was every indication her stay there was highly productive.

"It's always difficult to judge how you will race after coming down from altitude," she said, "I was surprised at how strong I felt. It didn't go out that fast and I found myself in front, so decided to just stay there."

Finishing 16 seconds behind O'Sullivan was top Australian marathon runner Kerryn McCann in 20:41.15, with countrywoman Benita Willis in third in 20:45.35.

Despite the hot and breezy conditions, O'Sullivan increased the tempo over the last of the three laps. "The blood can be a little messed up after altitude training," she added, "but I was happy with how it went. Those seven weeks in Falls Creek I averaged about 100 miles a week, and I've never had a better period of heavy training than that."

O'Sullivan remains undecided about which race she will run at the World Cross Country Championships in Leopardstown in March, but she intends to contact Irish team coach Jerry Kiernan next week to finalise her intentions. She will next compete over two low-key 1,500 metre races in February, with a more significant outing over 3,000 metres at the Melbourne Track Classic on March 1st.

The following day she returns to London with the short-term target of the World Indoor Championships in Lisbon a fortnight before Leopardstown, where she is almost certain to compete over 3,000 metres.

"I'm very much looking forward to Leopardstown now, and it was in the back of my mind throughout this race. I'm not worried about not getting another cross country race before then, because the track races will give me all the speed I need. I was handicapped last year in Vilamoura (at the World Cross Country championships) in that I didn't have enough races beforehand." It is possible O'Sullivan will seek a minor road race between Lisbon and Leopardstown. It is also likely she will target the long course race on March 24th at the world tests, with the possibility of returning for the short course the following day - perhaps eyeing a double similar to what she achieved in Morocco three years ago.

The men's race at Ballarat was convincingly won by Craig Montrum, with veteran Steve Monaghetti finishing third - thus making the Australian team for the World Cross Country for a record 10th time.