Ireland have only ever won 3 Olympic medals on the track.
Ronnie Delaney 1956 Olympics Melbourne (1500m)
John Treacy 1984 Olympics LA (marathon)
Sonia O’Sullivan 2000 Sydney (5000m)
In 1993, Sonia is the world’s greatest middle distance athlete. She is undefeated before the 1993 World Championships in Stuggart Germany. But out of the blue 3 Chinese athletes denied her a medal in the 3000m race.
She didn’t let this get her down and in the 1500m, she got a silver medal behind the Chinese athlete. It was a really controversial World Championship as there was doping suspicions around the Chinese athletes.
Sonia dominated athletics in 1994 and 1995 and she dominated the World Championships in Gothenberg, Sweden in 1995.
The Olympics in 1996 had arrived, once again Sonia dominated every race coming up to the Olympics. She once again was the athlete to beat. In her semi final she dominated the field.
The whole of Ireland expected Sonia not just to win a medal but to win Gold. The whole of Ireland stayed up late to watch Sonia’s race.
Sonia picked up a bug before the race and she was unable to finish. It was heart breaking for her. But she continued her training running over 100 miles per week. There would be another Olympics in 4 years time (2000) in Sydney.
Sonia finally and deservedly won her Olympic medal at Sydney 2000. She possibly deserved many more Olympic medals.
Her attitude was that she always did her best every day she raced, some days that meant winning races, other days not. No one could ever doubt her effort and her amazing talent.
