By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
  SYDNEY -- The United States government might want to tinker with its witness-protection program.

 You want somebody to disappear and never be noticed? Have them placed on the Canadian track and field team.

 Other than the sprinters, Donovan Bailey, Bruny Surin and, to a lesser extent, high jumpers Mark Boswell and Kwaku Boateng, Canada's runners, jumpers and throwers are a relatively anonymous lot.

 Across Europe and Asia, where track and field is a major-league sport, Brantford middle-distance runner Kevin Sullivan is a big name.

 In distance events dominated by north Africans, Sullivan is part of the elite group of milers and has earned a reputation as a big-meet performer.

 At the Rome Grand Prix last June, Sullivan hit the wire in three minutes 31.71 seconds, to set a Canadian record. There's a good chance that the former NCAA champion could make the 1,500 final in Sydney and push the big boys for a medal.

 To insiders, that would be an incredible feat. As track people like to remind the non-believers, theirs is one of the few truly global sports. Merely to make a final in an event such as the 1,500 is a significant accomplishment.

 But like most of his mates on the squad, Sullivan, refuses to whine about being ignored. The former high school phenom appreciates whatever attention comes his way.

 "I don't think making a final really gets overlooked that much because most journalists realize how difficult a task that is," Sullivan said.

 "And if the synchro swim team wins a gold, well, they deserve the press too.

 "I don't have a problem when (other) amateur sports get press. I do have problems when we all get relegated to a half page while the Jays or Leafs or Raptors get multiple pages and a lot of stories that just repeat parts of the previous story.

 "I think we have a lot of great athletes who don't get the recognition they deserve, while each (Leafs forward) Tie Domi fight gets blow-by-blow coverage," Sullivan said.

 Canada has some depth after the sprints and high jump -- veteran hurdler Katie Anderson of Toronto, the 1999 world indoor bronze medallist, Pan American Games steeplechase champion Joel Bourgeois of Grand Digue, N.B., and distance runners Carol Montgomery and Jeff Schiebler of Vancouver.

 Athletics Canada officials also are excited that, for the first time in years, there's a field team to go along with the track. Discus thrower Jason Tunks of London, Ont., and shot-putter Brad Snyder of Windsor are two of the best, young strongmen in the world today.

 Throws, of course, are not glamour events and the two big boys feel overlooked even within the Canadian program.

 "We have yet to have a (throws) coach named to a major team," Tunks said. "This year, we have a multi-event coach ... and no multi-eventers at the Olympics. We do, however, have five throwers here. This makes you wonder."