Sarah Healy warms up nicely for European Under-20 Championships

Irish runner posted a fifth place finish over 2,000m at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial Meeting in Budapest

Sarah Healy polished off her preparations for next week’s European Under-20 Championships in Sweden with an excellent run over 2,000m at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial Meeting in Budapest.

In a senior world-class field, Healy posted fifth in 5:45.23, victory going to the Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba in 5:33.76, falling well short of the world record of 5:26.36, still belonging to Sonia O’Sullivan, set in 1994.

Healy will look to win 1,500m gold next week to go with the 1,500m/3000m double she won at Under-17 level last summer. At the weekend the Blackrock runner just edged Jo Keane of Ennis Track in the Irish U-20 women’s 800m in 2:11.40 to 2:11.56.

Other Irish medal hopes next week will be Darragh McElhinney (Bantry), the first Irish teenager to break 14 minutes for 5,000m, and sprinter Aaron Sexton in what will be his last athletics event before going full-time with Ulster rugby.

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics