Phil Healy powers to World Indoor semi-final

Healy battled a bout of Covid last week and delayed her journey to Belgrade to put in one last “tester session” on Tuesday, which she said went “crap”. She considered withdrawing from the individual 400m as a result but together with coach Shane McCormack, she decided she had “nothing to lose” by lining up today.

Ireland's Phil Healy wins her heat at the IAAF World Indoor Athletic Championships in Belgrade

Phil Healy shook off a recent bout of Covid to turn in a superb performance at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade this morning, the Bandon AC sprinter taking victory in her 400m heat in 51.75 seconds.

Healy bided her time behind Dutch sprinter Lieke Klaver through the first 300m but swept past her opponent up the home straight to take victory, and with it a key outer lane in this evening’s semi-final.