Gete Wami (Ethiopia)

Age: 25 PB: 30.24.56

Four years ago she took bronze in Atlanta as a 21-yearold, the same year she won her first World Cross Country title. Did not finish the 1997 World Championship final due to injury, but won gold in Seville last year in dominant fashion. Also picked up a second World cross country title last year and has now finished in the top three of the last five cross country championships. From a family of farmers in Debre Birhan, she married fellow distance runner Getenah Tessema last year.

Fernanda Ribeiro (Portugal)

Age: 31 PB: 30.48.06

Seven major championship medals - starting with her first gold over 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Stuttgart 1993 - are just one indication of her phenomenal competitive record. The highlight was winning the Olympic title in Atlanta four years ago, clawing back the Chinese runner Wang Junxia in the last lap. Also has 10,000 metres gold from the European Championships in 1994 and silver behind O'Sullivan in 1998. Defended her world title in Gothenburg in 1995 and took silver in Athens two years later.

Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia)

Age: 28 PB: 30.56.40

The 1992 Olympic champion at the distance - the first black African woman to win an Olympic title - made a low-key comeback last year after giving birth to her daughter in 1998. But this year she recaptured top form to win the World Cross Country 8km title in Villamoura.

Then finished sixth in the London Marathon in 2.26.09. A hotel owner in Addis Ababa, she was fourth behind GeteWami in Atlanta four years ago and also has World cross country titles from 1995 and 1997.

Paula Radcliffe (Britain)

Age: 26 PB: 30.27.13

Ran the race of her life in Seville last year to finish second in the World Championship 10,000 metres. Before that, she appeared destined for a career outside the major medals, as she was fourth in the 1997 World Championship 5,000, fifth in the 1995 edition, and fifth in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. She was also fifth behind O'Sullivan in the European 10,000 in Budapest in 1998. Was third in this year's World Cross Country and second the previous two years. Married Gary Lough, the Northern Ireland record holder over 1,500 metres, this year.

Sally Barsosio (Kenya)

Age: 22 PB: 32.19.00

A bronze medallist from the World Championship 10,000 back in 1993 at age 15, she then won the title in 1997 in Athens - Kenya's first world championship gold medal at the distance. Was also African Games champion in 1995, but her career was interrupted after a car accident on the way to the airport to go to the Commonwealth Games in 1998. Was an Olympic finalist over the distance as far back as 1992 in Barcelona.

Adere Berhane (Ethiopia)

Age: 27 PB: 30.51.30

The third Ethiopian but an equal threat. Set this season's fastest time of 30.51.30 in Belgium last month and is in the best form of her career. Was a disappointing seventh in Seville last summer, and was fourth in the previous championships in Athens 1997. African 5,000 metre champion in 1998, in the same year she was also third in the World Cup at the distance. Has also recorded a leading half-marathon time on the road.

Compiled by Ian O'Riordan

Up-to-the-minute news on Sonia's 10,000 gold medal bid with audio commentary by Ian O'Riordan and Niall Bruton at 9 a.m. tomorrow at: www.ireland.com/sports/olympics/

This Morning

08.00-12.00: Athletics - women's hammer final, men's pole vault final, women's 4x400m relay first round, women's long jump final, men's 3000m steeplechase final, men's 1500m final, women's 4x100m relay semi-finals, men's 4x100m relay semifinals, men's 4x400m relay semi-finals.

09.30-11.20: Gymnastics - women's rhythmic individual all-around qualifying.

09.30-12.30: Boxing - 51kg, 57kg, 63.5kg, 71,g, 81kg and 91kg semi-finals.

10.00-13.00: Football - men's bronze medal match.

Overnight

20.45-07.40: Modern pentathlon.

23.00-06.05: Cycling - time trials.

23.00-01.15: Canoe/kayak - 1,000m finals.

23.00-12.00: Taekwondo - gold medal contests.

23.30-09.00: Wrestling - gold medal matches.

23.30-13.10: Handball - men's gold medal match.

23.30-07.00: Sailing - men's single-handed dinghy (finn) fleet races, open double-handed keelboat (star) fleet races, open three-person keelboat (soling).

00.00-11.15: Water polo - men's semi-finals.

01.00-06.00: Equestrian - individual dressage final.

01.30-12.30: Hockey - men's bronze and gold matches.

02.00-04.00: Football - men's gold medal match.

02.00-12.10: Basketball - women's gold medal match.

02.30-07.00: Volleyball - women's gold medal match.

03.00-05.05: Boxing - men's 48kg, 54kg, 60kg, 67kg 75kg and 91kg finals.