Philomena Healy (born 19 November 1994) is an Irish athlete competing in sprinting events. From Ballineen in County Cork, her sister Joan Healy is also a sprinter.
Career A member of Bandon Athletics Club, Healy reportedly "began to fully focus on [athletics]" as a teenager. A video of Phil Healy winning the final leg of the 4 x 400 metre Irish University Championships in 2016 went viral around the world. Her winning run has been described as one of the best athletics comebacks of all time. As she turns into the homestretch, having closed much of an 80-metre gap with the lead runners, the commentator is heard to shout "UCC from the depths of hell are powering through".
She set an Irish 200m national record in July 2018. In the 2018 European Championships, she placed fourth with a time of 23.23.
In a team which included Rhasidat Adeleke, Sophie Becker and Sharlene Mawdsley, Healy won a silver medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2024 European Championships. Healy was also a member of the Irish team that came fourth in the 4 × 400 metres event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Healy announced her retirement from international athletics in June 2026.
International competitions Representing 2013European Junior ChampionshipsRieti, Italy4th100 m11.9614th (h)200 m24.442014European ChampionshipsZürich, Switzerland26th (h)100 m11.5310th (h)4 × 100 m relay43.842015IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas17th (h)4 × 100 m relay45.385th4 × 200 m relay1:36.90European U23 ChampionshipsTallinn, Estonia12th (h)100 m11.815th (h)4 × 100 m relay44.6812016European ChampionshipsAmsterdam, Netherlands12th (h)4 × 100 m relay44.2915th (h)4 × 400 m relay3:34.022017European Indoor ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia14th (sf)60 m7.4026th (h)400 m54.80UniversiadeTaipei, Taiwan7th200 m23.812018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom12th (sf)400 m53.26European ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany20th (sf)100 m11.4611th (sf)200 m23.239th (h)4 × 100 m relay43.802019European Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom15th (sf)400 m53.65UniversiadeNaples, Italy6th200 m23.44World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar37th (h)200 m23.562021European Indoor ChampionshipsToruń, Poland4th400 m51.94Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan26th (h)200 m23.2124th (h)400 m51.988th4 x 400 m mixed relay3:15.042022World Indoor ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia11th (sf)400 m52.407th (h)4 × 400 m relay3:30.97European ChampionshipsMunich, Germany19th (h)400 m53.106th4 × 400 m relay3:26.632023European Indoor ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey5th4 × 400 m relay3:32.612024World Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom5th4 × 400 m relay3:28.92European ChampionshipsRome, Italy15th (h)200 m23.512nd4 × 400 m relay3:22.71 NROlympic GamesParis, France4th4 × 400 m relay3:19.90 NR2025World RelaysGuangzhou, China8th4 × 400 m mixed relay3:19.64 1Did not finish in the final
Personal bests Outdoor 100 metres – 11.28 (+2.0 m/s, Dublin 2018) 200 metres – 22.99 (0.0 m/s, Cork 2018) 400 metres – 51.50 (Belfast 2021) Indoor 60 metres – 7.31 (Athlone 2017) 200 metres – 23.10 (Athlone 2020) 400 metres – 51.94 (Torun 2021)
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