This is no contest. It is Sonia O'Sullivan all the way.
Sonia O'Sullivan - Olympic Silver (and robbed of a Bronze by that Russian drug cheat Samolenko in 1992), World Gold and Silver (should have 3 World golds, robbed of 2 by those pesky chinese in 1993), 3 European Golds and 2 European Silvers, 2 World CC Golds, World Indoor Silver, World Cup Gold, 5 times Grand Prix Champions, and in 1993 came 2nd in the Womens Overall competition, and 3rd in the overall in 1994. Completely dominant from 1993-1995 and at the very top of Womens distance running from 1992-2004. Has an incredible range of PB's from 800m up to the Marathon.
If I was to do a Womens only list my top 5 would be:
I think career-wise it’s Sonia. For a “moment in time” it was Mark Carroll when he ran 13.04? That was the greatest feat by an Irishman IMO and I believe the fastest 5k ever run by a non-African at the time. I’d probably say second best accomplishment is John Tracy or Eamonnn Coughlin for for brief stretches.
Right now, it's Sonia. In 10 years, it will. Be Rhasidat.
If choosing men only, it's Ciaran O'Lionaird.
Agree on the women's side
On the men's side Eamonn Coughlan, Ronnie Delaney, John Tracy, David Gillick Mark Carroll and probably someone like Fanahan McSweeney are all far superior to Mad Len
Call me crazy but I think setting bombs in pubs and chippers, Maiming and Killing the children in the Warrington bombings, disappearing a mother of 7 and orphaning her young kids, Raping children and protecting the abuser because he was a "good republican" among dozens of other atrocities should not be romanticised by bar stool republicans no matter what their "cause" was. It is exactly as I have described the behaviour of scum.
I think career-wise it’s Sonia. For a “moment in time” it was Mark Carroll when he ran 13.04? That was the greatest feat by an Irishman IMO and I believe the fastest 5k ever run by a non-African at the time. I’d probably say second best accomplishment is John Tracy or Eamonnn Coughlin for for brief stretches.
I think career-wise it’s Sonia. For a “moment in time” it was Mark Carroll when he ran 13.04? That was the greatest feat by an Irishman IMO and I believe the fastest 5k ever run by a non-African at the time. I’d probably say second best accomplishment is John Tracy or Eamonnn Coughlin for for brief stretches.
I think career-wise it’s Sonia. For a “moment in time” it was Mark Carroll when he ran 13.04? That was the greatest feat by an Irishman IMO and I believe the fastest 5k ever run by a non-African at the time. I’d probably say second best accomplishment is John Tracy or Eamonnn Coughlin for for brief stretches.
Everyone on LR knows about Treacy's greatest 5000m.
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