Incredible fourth for Phil Healy and Ireland in women's 4x400m relay final

PHIL Healy and Ireland have finished fourth place in the women's 4x400m relay final at the Olympics in Paris, smashing the national record in a time of 3:19.90.

They were agonisingly close to a medal, finishing just eighteen hundredths of a second behind Great Britain in third place.

Sophie Becker gave the team a brilliant platform in the first leg, running in a time of 50.90 seconds, before handing off to Rhasidat Adeleke who propelled Ireland into medal contention with a time of 48.92 seconds.

Phil Healy took the baton off Adeleke and ran her heart out to give Ireland a brilliant chance going into the final leg, where Sharlene Mawdlsey was oh so close to crossing the line in a medal position.

RTÉ were effusive in their praise of Healy and the team, commending the bravery of their run in what was one of the fastest 4x400m relay finals of all time.

Healy along with Sophie Becker, Kelly McGrory, and Sharlene Mawdsley finished in third position in heat two of the 4x400m women's relay to qualify automatically for the final.

Rhasidat Adeleke sat out the heat, saving herself for her own Olympic 400m final, in which she finished fourth. Adeleke's return for the relay final gave the team a boost ahead of the final, and they delivered on the big stage once again.

It marks the end of an historic Olympics for Team Ireland, who scooped up more medals than ever before at an Olympics.

Congratulations Phil on an incredible Olympics!

Don't miss this week's Southern Star – out Thursday, August 15th – for full reaction and coverage from an incredible Olympics for our West Cork athletes.