'I just didn’t have it today' - Sarah Healy finishes 10th in final of 1500m

LAST UPDATE | 11 hrs ago

SARAH HEALY HAS finished 10th in the the final of the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The Irish athlete clocked 3.59.14. 

The race was won by a dominant Faith Kipyegon from Kenya, with a time of 3.52.15.

Kenyan Dorcus Ewoi finished second with Australia’s Jessica Hull third.

“I just didn’t have it today,” Healy told RTÉ afterwards. “I suppose I have my own theories about why that happened. It’s definitely just something to learn from. 10th is great, it’s better than last year but it’s not where . . . I know I can race a bit better than that.

“I’m still proud of the progress, but I’d like to have a better day on the world final day next time around hopefully.” 

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Healy, 24, added: “Probably for me I started this year so well, and It was all just coming really effortlessly. Obviously it’s got a bit harder as the season’s gone on. In terms of what I can do, it’s a shame I don’t think I really got to show it today.

“It’s still a year to be proud of . . . It’s coming together. Obviously, I set a high standard for myself with racing at the start of the year. I didn’t like the feeling the way I felt out there today, it was just a bit helpless at the end. But it’s a long year and I still made a lot of progress.”

The Dubliner qualified for today’s final following the disqualification of Italy’s Marta Zenoni, having finished one place ahead of Healy in a messy semi-final.

Healy originally finished seventh in 3:57.15, with the the top six qualifying for the final.

For Kipyegon today it was a trademark devastating last lap to win an unprecedented fourth world women’s 1,500 metres title.

Kipyegon’s fourth world title matched the record held by Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan who won the men’s event between 1997-2003.

With two laps to go, Kipyegon, tracked by Hull and Chepchirchir, looked comfortable as she upped the pace, causing the pack to string out.

The Kenyan took them through the bell for the final lap as the spectators at the National Stadium rose to their feet.

A spurt down the back straight opened the gap between Kipyegon and her rivals, who were left staring further into space as she widened her lead coming off the bend into the home straight.

Arms raised as she crossed the line, it was business as usual for Kipyegon. Ewoi battled past Chepchirchir and Hull for silver in a last-gasp sprint.

The Australian, the Olympic silver medallist in Paris last year, did well to edge the third Kenyan for bronze.

There was a degree of revenge as Hull narrowly lost this year’s Diamond League final in Zurich when Chepchirchir, who also won at the Diamond League meetings in Doha, Rabat, Paris and Monaco in a stellar season, beat her in a photo finish.

“Even though I missed a medal, I ran a personal best. This has been a great season,” said the magnanimous 22-year-old Chepchirchir.

“There’s nothing to regret. I am honoured to be on the same team with Faith Kipyegon. She is a very humble lady. She inspires and motivates us to do our best.”

Additional reporting AFP