The early hours of Monday morning saw Dunboyne AC’s Sara Treacy take on the 2nd of 3 semi finals in the 3000m Steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships held in the Birds Nest, Beijing.
Sara came into the Championships ranked 42 of the 47 entrants and 3rd ranked of the Irish qualifiers. She showed that she can perform when it really matter finishing in 29th place with a time of 9:48, just 4 seconds outside of her PB, and well ahead of her two compatriots, Michelle Finn and Kerry O’Flaherty, both of whom had slightly better times going into the Championships.
Sara, who came into the competition while still working as a junior doctor in the NHS, will gain from this experience as she now begins preparations for Rio next year. Hopefully she will now get some funding to allow her to prepare fully for the Olympics.
Sara, as always, goes into championships to compete rather than complete. In post race interviews she spoke of her performance frustratingly.
“It was hard, I’m not very happy with my race. I’ve so much to improve on and I’m glad I got the experience, so I can only improve for next year. I’m raging, but there you go, it was my third quickest (time). It was solid enough but I know I’m capable of quicker. It’s annoying not to run a season’s best.”
“I was hoping to run around 9:35, and you have to approach these things as if you’re going to make the final, because you’re not here for the trip, you’re here to perform. I’ve got to improve my general fitness and work on my hurdling technique and get into races where you hurdle in a bunch.”
However hard Sara is on herself now, on further reflection Sara must be immensely happy with the past years achievements. A European Athletics medal, a double National Champion on home turf, stealing a UK Championship at their indoor championships, qualification for the Worlds and running a QT for Rio, twice.
The future is bright.
