LAST UPDATE
|
10 hrs ago
The 42
SARAH HEALY FINISHED just outside the medals, placing fourth in the 5,000m at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
Stepping up in distance from her 3,000m gold medal at the European Indoor Championships last year, Healy’s time of 15:40.95 was just three-tenths of a second behind surprise third-placed finisher Micol Majori.
So close to a medal for Sarah Healy as she finished fourth in the women’s 5,000m final, clocking 15:40.95, with victory going to Italy’s Nadia Battocletti in a time of 15:37.84 #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics #Birmingham2026@RTE2 @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/mfCfzjz0Er
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2026
Majori’s Italian compatriot Nadia Battocletti surged away to claim a third European gold in 15:37.84, while Spaniard Marta García was second at the Alexander Stadium.
“It was so chaotic and packed and this is my second 5k so I haven’t run like that,” said Healy. “I’m very disappointed with fourth because it was definitely a bit of inexperience.
“I feel like I was coming on the home straight but I find it hard to judge my effort in the 5k.
“I’m always afraid of not having enough left. If I had been coming into the home straight in a medal position, I think I could have held on, but it’s easy to say that now. It’s just really disappointing.
A case of what might have been for Sarah Healy, with ‘a little bit of inexperience’ she told @DavidGillick after finishing fourth in the 5,000m final at the #EuropeanAthletics #rtesport @RTE2 @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/yaHGOKvhLO
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2026
“At 300 to go, I just needed to be a little tougher. It’s still a good run, but the difference between fourth and third is drastic and it just would have been so nice to have a medal. It’s going to be hard. I can’t dwell now because I’ve got the 1500 this weekend.
I’m proud of myself for giving it a go, but I definitely have a little bit of regret with my last lap there.
The conservative pace suited Healy’s strengths, but the closely packed field mitigated against her at times, finding herself boxed in around the midway mark.
Sarah Healy. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
An injection of pace allowed her to locate some open track, sitting fourth heading into the final four laps.
After tracking Dutch athlete Maureen Koster and Battocletti, the 25-year-old Monkstown native nudged into third at the bell.
As Battocletti made her move, Healy sank to sixth entering the home straight.
In a four-way fight for bronze, she came back strong to pass Britain’s Hannah Nuttall and Koster with 50m to go, but couldn’t get close enough to Majori.
Akinola and Olatunde
There was also disappointment for the Irish hopefuls in the 100m semi-finals.
Bori Akinola improved on his heat time this morning to finish fourth in 10.38 seconds (-1.7 m/s), which wasn’t enough to qualify for tonight’s final.
Bori Akinola came home fourth in his 100m semi-final, posting 10.38, but it just wasn’t enough to make the final #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics #Birmingham2026@RTE2 @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/QmIGp2njHB
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2026
After a blistering start, the 25-year-old iOS engineer was second behind home favourite Romell Glave.
He was passed in the final metres by 2024 silver medallist, Chituru Ali from Italy, and German Heiko Gussmann, finishing just four hundreths of a second behind Ali and one hundredth of a second behind Gussmann.
The two European medallists, Glave (10.13) and Ali, took the automatic qualification berths, with Gussmann and Akinola left to sweat in the hotseats with two more semi-finals to follow.
In the second semi-final, Dominik Kopeć’s time of 10.32 ended Akinola’s final hopes. Ultimately, 10.30 was required to qualify outside the automatic spots.
“I don’t think I executed the race the way I would have liked, so I’ll need to look back at it again,” said Akinola.
“I would have loved to run a bit quicker and make the final, but it’s probably been my most consistent season and I’ve been putting together some good races.
“I just wish I had come into this form a little earlier in the season so I could have built on it. There’s a lot of experience gained, and now I’ll shift my focus to the relay on Saturday. Hopefully we can put in a good performance and I can leave here with something better.”
Israel Olatunde, who got a bye through this morning’s heats, finished seventh in his semi-final to miss out on a European final return.
A decent start for Israel Olatunde but he had to be content with a seventh-placed finish in the 100m semi-final #rtesport #EuropeanAthletics #Birmingham2026@RTE2 @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/8zhSKEPJm5
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2026
The 24-year-old Dundalk native, who has endured an injury-disrupted campaign, didn’t look in contention as he clocked 10.49 (-0.6m/s).
Akinola’s time ranked him 16th overall, with Olatunde 20th.
“It’s been an interesting year for me with injuries one after another, but I wanted to come here and compete and do my best,” said Olatunde. “I feel like I did that today. It wasn’t enough, but I’m really proud of myself and the journey I’ve been on this season.
“Back in May, I tore two different tendons in my quad, grade three, and it was meant to be season-ending. But myself, the physios, Paul and Ciara worked really hard to get me to the start line. There were setbacks along the way, so I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve received and thankful just to have made it to this point.”
Olatunde’s semi-final was won by defending champion Marcell Jacobs in a fastest time of 10.08.
However, the Italian pulled up in the final, with Glave (10.09) storming to a shock British 1-2 ahead of Jeremiah Azu.
Meanwhile, Jack Raftery put in an aggressive performance to contend for 300m before tailing off into seventh in the 400m semi-finals. His time of 45.81 placed him 21st overall.
Brave run by Jack Raftery in his quest to make the 400m final at the #EuropeanAthletics, eventually finishing seventh in 45.81 #birmingham2026 #rtesport@RTE2 @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/mfclCaO9bM
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2026
The Donore Harriers athlete will turn his attention to the 4x400m relay team, who take to the track on Friday morning.
Written by Stephen Barry and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.