Ireland celebrated a magical evening at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, with Sarah Healy securing a stunning gold in the 3000m and bronze medals claimed by Mark English in the 800m and Kate O’Connor in the pentathlon.
Healy delivered a masterclass in race execution, waiting patiently before unleashing a decisive kick in the final 100m to edge out Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant.
In a thrilling finish, Healy took gold in 8:52.86, just ahead of Courtney-Bryant (8:52.92) and Portugal’s Salome Alfonso (8:53.42).
Healy displayed remarkable composure, becoming Ireland’s first gold medallist at these championships since David Gillick in 2007.
“I’m so happy to do it,” said Healy. “It’s amazing. Having so many Irish supporters here made it extra special, especially with my parents watching. They’ve seen me disappointed so many times, so this moment was really nice.”
Mark English added to his illustrious career with a brilliant bronze in the 800m. The Finn Valley athlete showcased his signature race craft, surging through the final lap to claim third in 1:45.46. Gold went to the Netherlands’ Samuel Chapple (1:44.88), while Belgium’s Eliott Crestan secured silver (1:44.92).
English, now a five-time European medallist, demonstrated his experience by maintaining a strong position throughout the race before shifting gears in the final lap to secure his place on the podium. His latest triumph sees him trail only Sonia O’Sullivan in Ireland’s all-time medal tally at major championships.
Meanwhile, Kate O’Connor made history by becoming the first Irish athlete to win a senior multi-events medal, clinching bronze in the pentathlon. The Dundalk native, a former European U-20 silver medallist, delivered a phenomenal performance, particularly in the 800m, where she overtook Britain’s Jade O’Dowda in the overall standings to secure third place.
“It’s absolute madness, I can’t believe it,” said O’Connor. “I knew I’d need something special to get into the medals, so I just took it one event at a time. After the long jump, I was frustrated because I had already put in four world-class performances and was still outside the top three. But I decided to give it everything.”
O’Connor shattered her own Irish pentathlon record with a total of 4781 points, achieving personal bests in four of the five events: 8.31 seconds in the 60m hurdles, 1.84m in the high jump, 14.32m in the shot put, and 6.27m in the long jump. O’Connor ran a 2:11.42 in the 800m to O’Dowda’s 2:15.91, which secured bronze.
Finnish athlete Saga Vanninen took gold with a European U-23 record of 4922 points, while the Netherlands’ Sofie Dokter claimed silver with 4826.
“I just thought, ‘feck it, I’m going to run as fast as I can and kick as hard as I can,’” O’Connor added. “With 220m to go, I said, ‘let’s go.’ I ran with all the guts I had, and it paid off.”
Elsewhere, Andrew Coscoran fought bravely in the 3000m final, contending for a medal until the final lap before fading to sixth in 7:51.77. Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen once again showcased his dominance, completing a 1500m-3000m double.
In the women’s 4x400m relay, the Irish team of Rachel McCann, Lauren Cadden, Arlene Crossan, and Cliodhna Manning finished sixth in 3:32.72.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
What a tournament for Ireland. To win these three medals on one night and for Orla Comerford to secure Gold in the Para athletics 60 metres is an indicator that the momentum of last year has accelerated and we are in times of rare talent and success.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
FAI Head of Women’s and Girl’s Football is our guest on the Sport for Business Podcast next Tuesday, March 11th
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS
Athletics Ireland are among the 300+ organisations that make up the Sport for Business community. Our Daily content on the commercial world of sport is read by 40,000 readers each month. See below for our membership and our upcoming events.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises over 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
