Posted: February 5, 2004

Athletics: For Sullivan, Olympic Year Off To Strong Start

By David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved < RaceResultsWeekly.com>

At last Sunday's adidas Boston Indoor Games, most eyes were on Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie in the 3000m as he tried to take back the world indoor record. Although he fell short with his 7:35.24 clocking, his fast running at the front helped inspire the next group of athletes to do some of the best running of their careers. Indeed, of the 13 finishers in the event seven set personal best times, and all but one broke eight minutes.

Canada's Kevin Sullivan, who finished third, ran the fastest-ever 3000m by a Canadian: 7:44.46. The redheaded University of Michigan alumnus was already the fastest-ever Canadian at the indoor mile (3:55.33), but he seemed underwhelmed by his performance, despite setting a national record.

"It wasn't bad," said Sullivan as he analyzed his race. "I managed to make a good move in the last 600 and get up there."

Sullivan, who will turn 30 next month, was completely focused on his own race. The hoopla over Gebrselassie's record and the echoing cheers of the crowd in the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center didn't knock him off of his game at all.

"I didn't even notice the noise," he added, almost wondering why someone would ask.

In finishing third, he got past 2000 Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Bernard Lagat, beating the Kenyan by just 12/100ths of a second. Sullivan, who had been fifth in that same Olympic race, is now looking towards the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest in March. In his last world indoor appearance in 2001, he was eliminated in the heats of the 1500m. He bypassed the meet in 2003, but is looking forward to competing in Budapest. He just hasn't chosen his event yet.

"I'm giving serious thought to doing the three," he said referring to the 3000m adding, "I'm doing world cross country at the end of March."

Sullivan also plans to run the mile at the USATF Golden Spike Tour meeting in Fayetteville on 14-Feb.

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