Tenth in the world 1500m final is, at 24, an excellent achievement, but at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Tuesday night the Dubliner couldn’t shake a slight sense of frustration.
“It was the perfect race for me,” she said, referring to the strong pace that played to her strengths, with 800m reached in a swift 2:07. “It was exactly what I’d have wanted. I raced those on the Diamond League circuit and finished really strong but today, I was dying a bit. I know it sounds like I’m being hard on myself, but it’s the truth.”
Having snuck into the final following a disqualification in her semi-final, Healy knew she’d been gifted a golden opportunity. She wanted to seize it.
She pitched herself mid-pack as the field of 14 athletes passed 400m in 63.96, with Kenyan great Faith Kipyegon towing them along. But she surrendered three places on the final lap, passed by athletes she knows she can beat.
Tenth is the same result Ciara Mageean secured when reaching her first global 1500m final in 2019, with Mageean later going on to finish fourth in the 2023 world final and later winning European gold. At 24, Healy knows it’s a great platform for what comes next.
“Tenth is still a big achievement,” she said. “But how I felt is a little disappointing and how I executed that race. I’ve run those splits before and finished a lot better but today, I didn’t have the legs any more. I raced really well for 1250 metres and just fell apart a bit in the end. I know I can do better.”
Gold was won by Kipyegon in 3:52.15, the Kenyan great kicking off the front with a vicious last lap to secure her seventh global 1500m title ahead of Dorcus Ewoi (3:54.92) and Jessica Hull (3:55.16). Healy hit the line in 3:59.14.
Healy made a lightning start to the outdoor season but felt her form had plateaued later in the summer and she wondered if she over-raced a touch on the build-up to Tokyo. “I don’t want to be having my best races at the start of the season,” she said. “But I did sessions at the holding camp [which show] I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in.”
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi crosses the finish line to win his 800m heat ahead of Italy’s Francesco Pernici and Ireland’s Mark English. Photo: Reuters/Sarah Meyssonnier
Earlier in the night, Mark English and Cian McPhillips produced superb performances to advance to the 800m semi-finals, with McPhillips having the run of his life to win his heat in 1:44.91 and English taking third in his in 1:45.13.
English, the five-time European medallist, had high hopes of reaching his first global final and the Donegal man utilised his vast experience to navigate a tricky heat, won by Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in 1:45.05, with Italy’s Francesco Pernici second in 1:45.11.
“It was a bit of a funny heat because there was a lot of surging at about 300m to 500m which you don’t usually see in 800m racing, so it was tough with that aspect,” said English. “Thankfully I made a move from 500m to 600m and got into position and held on for third. I’m looking forward to Thursday now, it’ll be a good competition but I’m ready for anyone in that stifling heat out there.”
Ireland’s Cian McPhillips celebrates winning his men’s 800m heat during day four of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
McPhillips, meanwhile, pulled off a massive upset to win his heat against some of the event’s heavy hitters, the Longford native powering to victory with a huge kick ahead of USA’s Bryce Hoppel (1:45.09) and Tyrice Taylor (1:45.13).
“I’m delighted with that,” he said. “A lot of hard work went into that; I’ve a great team behind me who made all the right decisions to get me here. Thankfully I could execute the plan and get the job done.
“The semi-final will be the best quality race I’ve ever been in by a million miles, top two to qualify is pretty ruthless in the 800m. It’ll be a quick race, I’ll try do what I did there, throw myself in the mix and see what happens,” he added.
Ireland’s Sharlene Mawdsley competes in the women’s 400m semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Sharlene Mawdsley was in action in the 400m semi-finals, the Newport sprinter finishing eight in 51.22, leaving her 20th overall. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone powered to victory in that semi-final in a stunning 48.29.
Mawdsley will be back in action later this week in the women’s 4x400m relay.
Irish in action, Wednesday (Irish time)
2.20pm: Andrew Coscoran, men’s 1500m final
World Athletics Championships, Tokyo – Live, RTÉ Two, 11.15am; BBC Two, 11am