\n<\/p>\n
Ireland’s Sophie O’Sullivan says it “feels pretty good” to join her mother Sonia as an Olympian.<\/b><\/p>\n
Sophie, 22, made her debut at the Games in the heats of the 1500 metres and narrowly missed out on an automatic place in the semi-finals. <\/p>\n
Her mum was a silver medallist in the 5,000 metres at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.<\/p>\n
“I saw that there had been only maybe three mother\/daughter Olympians, so that’s been fun,” Sophie told BBC Sport NI after her heat.<\/p>\n
“It feels pretty good. She is here with me and it’s great to have her here.”<\/p>\n
On her Olympic debut, O’Sullivan put in a strong showing at the Stade de France and set a personal best to qualify for the repechage on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
She believes she could have broken into the top six if not for a collision with Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka with 150m remaining.<\/p>\n
“Immediately, I’m a little bit disappointed as it’s right there,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I really thought I had it but maybe that is the problem. When you think you have it you can get too excited. <\/p>\n
“I didn’t think it was very fast at all, which I guess is a good sign. I feel better than that.<\/p>\n
“I got a big caught up and tripped at the last bend. That slowed me down and I can come back tomorrow and have a good crack at it.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n