Cork's Phil Healy powers Ireland to silver medal: 'It's very special and makes the last few tough years so worthwhile'
The Irish women's relay team Rhasidat Adeleke, Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, and Sharlene Mawdsley after finishing second at the 2024 European Athletics Championships. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
THERE'S a silver medal coming back to Leeside after Ireland finished second in the final of the women's 4x400m relay at the European Athletics Championships in Rome on Wednesday evening.
The team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley finished behind gold medallists Netherlands and ahead of Belgium in third.
It is Adeleke's third medal of the championships, adding to the gold she won as part of the mixed 4x400m relay team and the silver she claimed in the 400m.
Mawdsley will stand on the podium for a second time at this championships. She was also part of that mixed relay.
Sophie Becker and Phil Healy also contributed in an terrific team performance, with the Healy flying the flag for Cork athletics with a huge effort on the third leg.
Healy was beaming after: "This team has so much potential.
"This is just massive, it's the stuff of dreams, it's what we train for, it's so, so special," she told RTE.
Bandon AC runner Healy, 29, previously come close to medal in the 400m European Indoor Championships in 2021 and had suffered issues with injuries in recent seasons.
"I remember back to my first senior championships in 2014 and that's a long time ago. Year after year competing on the stage and it's my first major medal medal so it's very special and makes the last few tough years so worthwhile."
It was a reflection of Ireland's outstanding championships that there was initial disappointment from the Irish quartet, particularly anchor Mawdsley after she crossed the line in second. They were clearly gunning for gold but it was a superb effort against the highly-rated Dutch and a quality field.
The team set a national record and inspired the nation.
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