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Healy Fourth in European 5,000m Final, Eyes 1,500m
🇮🇪 Ireland /Sports

Healy Fourth in European 5,000m Final, Eyes 1,500m

From Irish Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Irish athlete Sarah Healy finished fourth in the women's 5,000m final at the European Athletics Championships.
  • Healy expressed disappointment with the result, citing inexperience in managing her pace and effort in the final lap.
  • She is now shifting focus to the 1,500m race later in the week, a distance where she feels more comfortable.

Sarah Healy narrowly missed out on a medal at the European Athletics Championships, finishing fourth in a tightly contested women's 5,000m final. The Irish runner expressed significant disappointment with the result, feeling she could have performed better.

It was very difficult I guess, because it was so chaotic and packed. This was my second 5k (5,000m), so I haven’t ran like that.

— Sarah HealyIrish athlete Sarah Healy describing the conditions and her experience in the 5,000m final.

"I’m very disappointed with fourth... I know I gave it my best go but I just know that last few (hundred meters), it was just a bit of inexperience, I think," Healy told David Gillick after the race. She explained that her experience is primarily in the 1,500m, and the pacing of the 5,000m felt different, particularly in the final lap. "For me it feels like 800 to go is a kick-finish, whereas in my normal race (1,500m) it’s still in the depths, so I’m always afraid of not having enough left," she added.

I’m very disappointed with fourth ... I know I gave it my best go but I just know that last few (hundred meters), it was just a bit of inexperience, I think, because I felt like I was coming on the home straight, but I find it hard to judge my effort in the 5k.

— Sarah HealySarah Healy expressing her disappointment with finishing fourth in the 5,000m final.

Healy acknowledged that the slower pace of the race created a lot of traffic, making it difficult to navigate. "I would have backed myself in a kick-finish, I think I just at 300m to go needed to be a little tougher," she reflected. While acknowledging it was still a good run, the gap between fourth and a medal position felt drastic. "It just would have been so nice to have a medal, so it’s going to be hard."

For me it feels like 800 to go is a kick-finish, whereas in my normal race (1,500m) it’s still in the depths, so I’m always afraid of not having enough left.

— Sarah HealySarah Healy explaining the difference in pacing and effort between the 5,000m and her preferred 1,500m race.

Despite the disappointment, Healy is already looking ahead to her next event. "Obviously I can’t dwell, because I’ve got the 1,500 this weekend," she stated. She sees the 5,000m as a distance she might explore further, saying, "I’m proud of myself for giving it a go, but I definitely have a little bit of regret with just my last lap there." Healy plans to use the experience gained to improve in her preferred 1,500m event.

I would have backed myself in a kick-finish, I think I just at 300m to go needed to be a little tougher. It’s still a good run, but the difference between fourth and third is drastic. It just would have been so nice to have a medal, so it’s going to be hard.

— Sarah HealySarah Healy reflecting on her race strategy and the disappointment of missing a medal.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Irish Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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