‘I wanted to get back out there and show what I was capable of'

NEVER write off Phil Healy.

The Ballineen Bullet felt she had a point to prove after her disappointment in the women’s 400m heats on Monday at the European Athletics Championships – and she responded in terrific style on Friday morning.

The Bandon AC star ran the second leg as the Irish women’s 4x400m relay team finished second in their semi-final to advance to Saturday’s European final.

The quartet of Sophie Becker, Healy, Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley ran a national record of 3:26.06.

The Irish 4x400m relay team react after qualifying for the European final and smashing the national record in the process - @sophiebecker_ @philhealy2 rhasidatadeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley #Munich2022 #rtesport pic.twitter.com/qZWSbdJLiU

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 19, 2022

For Healy, it was a chance to exorcise the demons of her 400m heat when she finished sixth to exit the competition at the first hurdle.

‘I had a very disappointing relay on Monday, I knew the shape I was in, so to come out and run a national record with the girls and book our spot in the final, we knew we were capable of it. That’s done and now the focus turns to tomorrow (Saturday),’ Healy told David Gillick of RTÉ.

‘I wanted to get back out there and show what I was capable of. I knew I had to push that (first) 200 harder than I would in an individual run. I am thrilled to post that 51-second split, hand it over to Rhasidat and she did an unbelievable job, as did Sophie and Sharlene.’