‘Bandon Bullet’ Phil Healy targets 400m at Morton Games

By Feidhlim Kelly

Phil Healy continues her record-breaking season at the Morton Games this evening but she won’t be the only Healy in town continuing her rise through the ranks.

The Bandon Bullet has been in scintillating form this year, scorching to a new 200m national record off 22.99 seconds at the Cork City Sports on Monday night. She also set a national 100m record of 11.28 seconds earlier this summer.

Healy will step up in distance at the Morton Games over 400m and will look to rewrite her personal best of 52.19 before going on to compete in the 200m at the Irish Life Health nationals next week (July 28/29) to secure her place for the European Athletics Championships in Berlin (August 6-12). In Berlin she plans on targeting the 100m and 200m.

The athletics aficionados at the Morton Games will be paying even closer order to another Healy setting the track alight — Sarah of Blackrock in Dublin.

At 17 years of age and with one year left in school, Healy’s talent is staggering. She won double gold at the European U18 championships, over 1500m and 3000m, and will hold her own against seasoned internationals in the 1500m in Santry.

She has already scalped Ciara Mageean (UCD) this season over 800m at the Belfast International. Mageean races over that distance again this evening and she will be aiming for victory with some positive results recently.

USA’s Hannah Green looks the favourite but Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner (DSD) and Claire Mooney (UCD) could also spring a surprise.

Mark English (UCD) comes out of the woodwork to run in the men’s 800m having raced sparingly this summer ahead of the European Championships. Morton has been a happy hunting ground for English, where he will be looking to hold off the likes of Melbourne Track Club pair Jordan Williamsz and Olympic 1500m finalist Ryan Gregson.

Australia has strong links to the meeting with Herb Elliot having set a world record in the mile back in 1958.

The Morton mile is the main event of the night and promises to deliver an exciting race. Raheny Shamrock AC’s Brian Fay is aiming to become Ireland’s youngest outdoor sub-four-minute miler.

Other athletes who featured heavily at the Cork City Sports include Marcus Lawler (SLOT) who will be looking to continue his fine form in the 100m and Australian Brett Robinson who is aiming to add the 5000m to his 3000m win in Cork.

World U20 silver medalist Sommer Lecky will be a welcome sight in the women’s high jump.