Phil Healy and Ireland power through to Olympic relay final
Phil Healy, left, and Kelly McGrory of Team Ireland react after qualifying for the final after the women's 4 x 400m relay round 1 at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
The Irish women’s 4x400m team of Sophie Becker, Cork's Phil Healy, Kelly McGrory and Sharlene Mawdsley have qualified for the Olympic final, the quartet turning in a terrific performance to finish third in their heat at the Stade de France on Friday morning in 3:25.05.
With Rhasidat Adeleke unavailable due to the individual 400m final, the Irish faced a tough battle to advance without her, but they proved more than up to it. Adeleke is expected to be added to the team for the final tomorrow evening.
Becker got them off to a brilliant start, powering Ireland into the lead with a blazing opening leg of 50.90 seconds and handing off to Ballineen's Healy, who kept them there with a 51.90-second leg.
She was challenged by Dutch star Lieke Klaver late in the lap and handed off in second, just behind the Dutch, but McGrory fought her ground brilliantly to claim the lead as she headed around the first turn and held the lead for much of the leg before tying up a little and handing off to Mawdsley in fourth after a 52.60-second split.
The Newport sprinter was her typically astute self on the anchor leg, biding her time before kicking hard up the home straight to third ahead of Canada, splitting a blazing 49.65.
Jamaica took victory in 3:24.92 with the Netherlands second in 3:25.03.
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