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Sarah Healy. Morgan Treacy/INPHO
From The 42Athletics
Sarah Healy finishes in agonising fourth place at European Athletics Championships
Healy’s time of 15:40.95 was just three-tenths of a second behind surprise third-placed finisher Micol Majori.
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.
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 two-time champion 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.
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.
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