"How did he sign your autograph," asked a curious mother.

"Just Morceli," said the child.

"He didn't give you the full name then," replied the woman.

"No," said the lad.

"Well boy," said a thick Cork accent from the crowd, "there is only one Morceli."

The ground was thick with some of the world's finest athletes at the Mardyke. Fickle skies and a gusting wind put paid to any sprint records for the 6,000 who turned up at the UCC grounds, but the presence of the phenomenal Algerian Noureddine Morceli, Ireland's charismatic and most recent world champion Sonia O'Sullivan and 400 metres world champion Cathy Freeman restyled the Cork grounds into something of an international spectacle.

In truth, the Bord Gais Cork City Sports became a multi-act drama during which the other Irish performers provided enough vigour to be more than simply a chorus line between main features.

O'Sullivan's two-mile gallop around the track nine seconds inside the 13-year-old world record mark of American Lynn Jennings once more stole the show and she has again placed herself in the bosom of Irish hopes and aspirations for the European Championships this summer in Budapest.

"I was a bit worried," O'Sullivan said. "She (Amy Rudolph) was getting a bit close. But I think it helped a lot having her there. The season is only starting and I haven't raced for three weeks so I felt a bit nervous." For O'Sullivan, the record gilded not only the event but more importantly boosted her confidence. The distance is now rarely contested, but the record is likely to strengthen the brilliant but occasionally fragile temperament.

Importantly, O'Sullivan's kick remains lethal as Rudolph sat on her shoulder for much of the race, always threatening to explode down the final 150 metres.

Thankfully for O'Sullivan, that "bye-bye" gear she had been so used to pre-Atlanta was once again in evidence and, buoyed by the home crowd, she left her opponent on the bend with a 64-second last lap to obliterate the former record in nine minutes 19.56 seconds.

The manner of doing it as much as the record itself was paramount to O'Sullivan, who also hinted that she has become more considered in her preparations and training.

"So long as I do what I'm told and not go off and do crazy things, I think I'll be alright," she said. A number of people nodded approvingly.

While Morceli's magical run of 3:34.79 was the fastest 1,500 metres run in Ireland, it was for him a moderate performance and perhaps just another demonstration of his undeniable brilliance. Morceli can toss off such runs at will.

"I was looking for maybe a 3:32 or a 3:31 but it was windy. Still, I'm satisfied. When you win a race you really can't ask for much more," said the 1,500 metres world record holder.

While Niall Bruton may have been disappointed with his seventh in the 1,500 metres, both Sean Carroll, in the 5,000 metres, and James Nolan, in the 800 metres, produced virtuoso performances. Given the strength of the fields, both runners held off overseas challenges to run well inside the qualifying times for the European Championships.

Nolan, showboating for the final 10 metres in his now traditional fashion, could easily have run faster than 1:47.10. In the process, the UCD student effortlessly saw off the challenge of Kenyans Sammy Langat and Phillip Kemboi.

Carroll drew the same refreshing gasp of appreciation from the crowd when he took off with two laps to go and held off both the Kenyans James Kosgei and Daniel Gachare and Japan's Toshinari Takoka to run 13:20.84, the fastest 5,000 metres run in Ireland.

Susan Smith also ran herself back into a healthy frame of mind after her leaden 400 metre hurdles run in St Denis three weeks ago. Smith pulled away mid race to win in 55.84, well clear of England's Kerry Maddox.

Lena Barry also sparkled and ran a wind-assisted 11.43 in the 100 metres, equalling Michelle Carroll's 20-year-old Irish record. Barry came third behind England's Simone Jacobs and Australia's Cathy Freeman, who went on to win the 200 metres.