Sarah Lavin breaks Phil Healy's Irish 100m record

Sarah Lavin has broken Phil Healy’s national 100m record in Bellinzona, Switzerland Monday night, clocking 11.27 in still conditions

RECORD BREAKER: Sarah Lavin has broken Phil Healy's national 100m record. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

She waited her whole career to set an Irish senior record, and then two came along at once. Sarah Lavin broke Phil Healy’s national 100m record in Bellinzona, Switzerland on Monday night, clocking 11.27 in still conditions.

Lavin was in action in the B 100m at the Gala dei Castelli, a Continental Tour Silver meeting, and finished second to Italy’s Zaynab Dosso (11.15). Her mark dips under the previous record of 11.28, set by Healy in 2018.

The NEW @irishathletics 100m NATIONAL RECORD Holder @sarahlavin_ !!!!🔥❤️‍🔥

No better and more deserving person to take this record on the back of her national 100mH record and the most incredible season both indoor and outdoor!! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/BBWnnCqWGU

— Phil Healy (@philhealy2) September 4, 2023

It’s the second Irish record Lavin has broken in as many weeks, having clocked 12.62 to break Derval O’Rourke’s national 100m hurdles record (12.65) in the world semi-final in Budapest just 12 days ago. It continues a remarkable season for the 29-year-old, who has broken her lifetime best in the hurdles four times, the last of those leading her to an 11th-place finish at the World Championships.

The Irish 100m record had been the sole flat sprint record that was not in the possession of Rhasidat Adeleke, who has broken national senior records at 60m, 200m, 300m and 400m in recent years. Lavin was back in action later in the night in the 100m hurdles, finishing fifth in 12.70, a race won by Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in 12.56.

Thomas Barr returned to action in the 400m hurdles, having been ruled out of last month’s World Championships with a torn calf, but the 2016 Olympic finalist had a race to forget, finishing sixth in 51.01. The event was won by last year’s world champion Alison Dos Santos of Brazil in 47.50. Luke McCann finished fifth in the 1500m, clocking 3:35.54.