Marcus O'Sullivan
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Marcus O'Sullivan (born December 22, 1961) is a retired Irish middle distance runner. Although failing to gain entry to any of Ireland's universities, O'Sullivan's running eventually allowed him to go to Villanova University at 19.
O'Sullivan quickly became a world class runner, and took part in four summer Olympic Games. He won three gold medals at the World Indoor Championships over 1500m. He is third all-time (trailing Steve Scott and John Walker (runner)) with total sub-4 minute miles, at 101.
The three world indoor 1500 meter championships won by O'Sullivan were in 1987 (Indianapolis), 1989 (Budapest), and 1993 (Toronto). In his victories in 1987 and 1989, he set course records. He was 4th in the 1991 Seville indoor world championships.
O'Sullivan qualified for four Olympic Games for Ireland: 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996, at both 800 meters and 1500 meters. He reached the 1500 meter finals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
He set an indoor 1500 meters world record of 3:35.4 on February 10, 1989, and was generally regarded as a better competitor running indoors. This is evidenced by the fact that O'Sullivan won the prestigious Wanamaker Mile in Madison Square Garden's Millrose Games five times (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992).
His personal best for the mile, set indoors in 1987, is 3:50.96, and his PB for 1500 meters is 3:33.65, set in 1992.
O'Sullivan, along with Irish runners Ray Flynn, Eamonn Coghlan, and Frank O'Mara established the still standing world record in the 4 x mile relay, when they combined in Dublin on August 17, 1985 to run 15:49.08.
O'Sullivan now runs the Running Works cross country camp during the summer, and is the head coach of Villanova cross country and track and field. He was coached by Tom Donnelly of Haverford College and has since advised Bob Kennedy in the later years before Kennedy's retirement.
In addition to his ties to American record holder Bob Kennedy, O'Sullivan has coached elite professional runners such as former world-record holder Sydney Maree, Canadian indoor world silver medalist Carmen Douma-Hussar, and New Zealander Adrian Blincoe
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Categories: 1961 births | Living people | Irish athletes | Middle distance runners | Athletes at the 1984 Summer Olympics | Athletes at the 1988 Summer Olympics | Athletes at the 1992 Summer Olympics | Athletes at the 1996 Summer Olympics | Olympic competitors for Ireland | Irish sportspeople stubs | European track and field athletics biography stubs
