Sarah Healy wins historic gold for Ireland in 3,000m at European Championships
10 March 2025
Sarah Healy celebrates winning gold in the women's 3000m final at the European Athletics Indoor Championships Credit: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Former UCD Ad Astra Academy athletics star Sarah Healy has won gold in the 3,000m at the European Indoor Athletics Championships – becoming the first Irish woman ever to claim the top medal at a senior European Indoor event.
The 24-year-old, who competes for UCD AC, delivered a masterclass in the Netherlands as she advanced into the leading group in the final 600 metres of the race.
With a group of eight athletes in medal contention as the final lap began, Healy past Melissa Courtney-Bryant in the final 100m to take the gold in 8:52.86, ahead of the British athlete (8:52.92) and Portugal’s Salome Alfonso (8:53.42).
A 2023 law graduate from UCD, Healy is Ireland’s first gold medallist at European Indoor Athletics Championships since David Gillick in 2007.
The moments you train for.
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) (opens in a new window)March 9, 2025
Sarah Healy 🇮🇪 wins 3000m gold in front of a massive Irish contingent! (opens in a new window)#Apeldoorn2025 (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/ZUM7FLBNeF
(opens in a new window)Speaking to RTÉ Sport afterwards, she said: “I’m so happy to do it. It’s amazing. Having so many Irish supporters here made it extra special, especially with my parents watching. They’ve seen me disappointed so many times, so this moment was really nice.
"I knew I had an opportunity today to win a medal. And I also knew I had a chance to win a gold but I didn't want to put too much expectation on it and just try to race the best I could.
"I felt so good the whole way around. But it was so messy, it was just a case of trying to get the space for it and I had to wait until the last possible moment. I'm so glad it worked."
Healy’s historic gold was one of three major medals won by Ireland at the Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
The Irish love a bit of bling
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) (opens in a new window)March 9, 2025
(opens in a new window)@Sportsfilesam(opens in a new window)#IrishAthletics | (opens in a new window)#Apeldoorn25 (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/agfxwwz0Ly
Shortly before her stunning win, fellow UCD Ad Astra Academy alum Mark English earned his fifth European medal with a superb performance to claim bronze in the 800m.
The Finn Valley athlete surged through the final lap in 1:45.46. Gold went to the Netherlands’ Samuel Chapple (1:44.88), while Belgium’s Eliott Crestan secured silver (1:44.92).
His latest medal now sees him trail only Sonia O’Sullivan as Ireland’s all-time medal winner at major senior championships.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s third medal at the indoor championships went to Kate O’Connor, who become the first Irish athlete to win a senior multi-events medal, clinching bronze in the pentathlon.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
