By John Haughey BBC Sport

Defar stuns 5,000m field

Sonia waved her farewells to the small but vocal band of Irish supporters stationed just past the 250m mark.

This particular lap of honour in Athens wasn't heralding another medal-winning performance from the Emerald Isle's favourite daughter.

There was still over a hundred metres to go and winner Meseret Defar had finished over a minute earlier.

But as 70,000 people in the stadium cheered her in those final yards, we Irish felt uplifted.

Privileged in fact, to have witnessed the high and lows of this wonderful woman's 15-year-career on the international stage.

Those good folk from nationalities all over the world knew they were almost certainly witnessing the final championship race of a true athletics great.

It wasn't just sympathetic applause for another outclassed competitor but recognition of a great champion whose style and smile has wowed the world.

Afterwards, she tearfully confessed that she had believed "something special was on".

Typically, she tried to gloss over a stomach upset of the previous two days which her partner Nick Bideau later revealed should have ruled her out of the race.

In terms of Irish sport, the 34-year-old mother-of-two has no equal.

Ethiopia's Meseret Defar won the 5000m in Athens

Nearly 15 years at the top of her trade, world championship golds on the track and in cross country, three European title and the prized Olympic silver from Sydney, brook no argument to her greatness.

The Irish nation has loved her unconditionally.

On those triumphant occasions in Helsinki, Gothenburg, Budapest and Sydney, those fortunate enough to have been there walked a few inches taller into the night while back home, the rest of the nation celebrated heartily.

Those nights when the wheels came off in Atlanta, Paris and twice in Athens, we felt her pain and wanted to dry her tears and there were none of the recriminations which Paula Radcliffe has had to disgracefully endure from some quarters over the past two days.

Sonia has been too precious to us for us to even consider turning on her.

Glorious nights and painful experiences have been the essential yet contrasting components of the package that is Sonia O'Sullivan.

Whether she decides now to hang up her spikes or decides on a gradual wind-down of her career is entirely Sonia's decision.

She owes her country nothing although given her love of training and competing, it's hard to believe that she will call an immediate halt.

An era may have ended but the memories of those glorious nights will long linger.