After Dinner Speakers: Sonia O'Sullivan, Anna Ford, David Pearce

Sonia O'Sullivan is without doubt Ireland's greatest ever athlete. She has towered above the track scene in the 1990s in a way few athletes ever do. In the process she has become one of Ireland's most celebrated ambassadors. She first exploded onto the world scene in 1991, when she won the NCAA Indoor 3,000m and Cross Country titles, the World Student Games 3,000m, and set a world indoor record in the 5,000m. The power and authority of her running, and especially her explosive finishing, marked her out as a truly special athlete. A competitor in Olympics and World championships since 1992, Sonia has always been a serious contender for the gold medals, but has always been pipped at the post at these major games. A true ambassador for Women’s athletics and Ireland, Sonia O’Sullivan has a wonderful career story to tell.