After her disappointing performances at the 1996 Olympic Games, and her relatively poor season in 1997, few would have predicted the remarkable comeback that Sonia O'Sullivan made in 1998.
Following her spectacular comeback in the international athletics arena in 1998, which included winning both the 5000 m and 10000 m at the European Championships, Sonia O'Sullivan took a break from competition for most of 1999, during which time she gave birth to her daughter, Ciara, on 10 July 1999.