Ireland track star kicks up the straight to win her first Diamond League meeting
Sarah Healy confirmed herself as one of the world's top middle-distance runners by winning her first ever Diamond League meeting in Rome on Friday night.
The Dubliner, 24, showed tremendous grit to kick up the home straight and pass Australia's Sarah Billings as the line approached at the Stadio Olimpico.
It was a season-best time of 3:59.17 over 1500m for Healy, and a continuation of her outstanding form.
Healy won gold in the 3000m at the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships in the Netherlands in March.
And the UCD AC star opened her outdoor season with a 3000m PB and a third-placed finish at the Rabat leg a fortnight ago.
'I'm obviously really happy to come away with the win,' Healy said after the race.
'It was a really competitive field. I kind of thought it wouldn't be crazy quick tonight, and it wasn't. It was quite crowded, I think we're all capable of running around the same time so there were a lot of bodies. I was a little further back, I wanted to be the whole time. I just tried to stay patient.
'In the last lap, I had to make a good few moves, which I'm happy with, especially on the home straight.'
She added: 'I know my shape is good. I ran a big 3k PB three weeks ago, so I know I'm really fit. Hopefully a PB in the 1500m [currently 3:57.46] is coming for me soon, but today I wanted to just compete for the win.
'I know I'm good at hard, fast races, but races like this have probably been more where I struggled, so I'm really, really happy to win tonight. It's really cool.
'I'm having a lot of fun, which is the main thing, and probably why I'm running so well."
Healy is set to next compete at the Paris Diamond League meeting on Friday, 20 June.
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