Sarah Healy proud after finish but felt 'a bit helpless' in World 1500m final in Tokyo

Sarah Healy finished 10th in the World Athletics Championships in the Japan National Stadium today and said she had her own ideas why she didn't finish closer to the medals.

As expected, Faith Kipyegon dominated the race to win gold by a big margin in 3.52.15 ahead of her Kenyan team-mate Dorcus Ewol and Australia's Jessica Hull.

Ranked eight in the world, Healy finished in 3.59.14, just outside her Irish record, having received a reprieve to make the final after a suspension to an Italian athlete moved the Monkstown star into the top six to qualify from her semi-final on Tuesday.

"Just tired, and like it was a hard race," Healy told RTÉ afterwards. "And I raced really well for 1250 metres and the last 250 I just didn't have it today.

"I have my own theories why that happened but it's just definitely something to learn from because 10th is great, it's better than last year, but it's not where...I know I can race better than that. Obviously I'm still proud of the progress but maybe just to have a better day on the world final day next time around, hopefully."

After the agony of not performing well in the Paris Olympics, Healy rebounded to win the 3000m European Indoor final earlier this year and subsequently broke a number of Irish records.

She reflected: "I started this year out so well and it was all coming really effortlessly and obviously it's got a bit harder as the season's gone on. But I've seen glimpses of what I can do and it's a shame I don't think I got to show it today, but it's still a year to be proud of for me.

"It's coming together, I think, obviously I just set a high standard for myself, particularly with how I raced at the start of the year and I don't like feeling the way I felt out there today, which is like a bit helpless, I think. But it's been a long year and I still made a lot of progress."

Former gold medallist Sonia O'Sullivan felt that Healy's preparation for the final would have been disrupted by her losing out in the semi-final before having her name added to the list of finalists.

"She put herself in the race but has not been in that position before, running three races in a row, a heat, semi-final and final," said O'Sullivan.

"And I also think it was a little roller-coaster of emotions for her after the semi-final, thinking that she didn't make it to the final and then having to reset and refocus and get yourself back up excited again, that will definitely take a little bit out of you. But she put herself in it, she's 10th in the world and that's the best she's ever been, so she's got to be happy with that.

"Sarah, she turned up this year as a totally different athlete than we've seen in recent years and she's achieved so much, but we didn't really expect her to medal here today, to be realistic.

"She could have been maybe top six on the rankings but she finished 10th, but that's the end of a long year where she's done more than she could ever have imagined at the start of this year.

"If you look back at Ciara Mageean, she was 10th place in Doha in 2019 and then four years later in Budapest she finished fourth, so athletics is a progression sport, it's a stepping stone sport, and you can't be disappointed all the time, you have to see the progress you've made and learn from the lessons."