Healy targets nationals after New York run

PHIL Healy took a bite out of the Big Apple last Saturday with an impressive second place in the 400m at the Millrose Games in New York.

The Ballineen sprinter (24), who was invited to take part in the most prestigious indoor track and field event in the United States, ran 53.72 to finish second in a scrappy race that was won by the USA’s Jaide Stepter in 53.25.

‘It was a carnage race at the cut-in at 200, that knocked the momentum out of it, but I’m thrilled to come away with second place,’ Phil told The Southern Star.

Her time was well outside her 400m PB of 52.08 that she set in January 2018, but Phil will be pleased with the run that saw her come from fourth at the bell, pushing into second before trying to chase down Stepter in the home straight.

It follows on from her 400m win at the Vienna International Indoor Meet in January where she ran 52.31, which was the fastest time in Europe at the time.

This weekend, Phil competes in the 400m at the National Indoor Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Dublin. The heats are on Saturday and the final on Sunday. After that, she’s on to the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow, which is one of her big targets of the season.

Her older sister Joan will run in the 60m at the indoor nationals this weekend and it’s her last opportunity to run the 7.40 qualifying standard for the European indoors. Joan ran her 60m PB of 7.31 at last year’s Irish indoors.

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