Joan Healy turns her attention to outdoor season and 100m

THIS was not how Joan Healy wanted to sign off on her indoor season. The Ballineen sprinter bounced into the recent European Indoor Championships off the back of a new 60m PB the previous week, but she came up short in her heat in Istanbul.

In lane five, Healy felt she didn’t get out of the blocks and was left chasing, but the finish line came too soon. The top four qualified for that evening’s semi-finals, including World Indoor champion Mujinga Kambundji in the lane beside Healy, but Joan finished fifth in 7.41, which is 0.11 of a second off her PB (7.30) run seven days earlier.

‘I felt like I ran that race in slow motion. It was over before I knew it, really. I am not entirely happy with that race,’ Healy reflected afterwards. 

‘I came out here in PB shape and I felt that an automatic qualifying spot was well up for grabs here. Unfortunately I didn’t react that well and found myself in a bit of a chasing position. The 60 is over before you know it so you don’t have a lot of time to make it up. 

‘The time is well below what I am capable of. I felt like I could have come away with another PB but we move on to the next race.’

Next up for Healy is the outdoor season and the 100 metres – and the Leevale AC sprinter feels she can make a real impact. Her 100m PB of 11.57 was set in 2018 so that’s due to be trimmed. ‘While 60m used to be one of my favourite races before it’s now almost too short for me. I am looking forward to seeing what I can do beyond the 60 and into the 100m, and knock a few tenths off my 100m PB,’ she said.