Mary Cullen’s long-standing Irish indoor 3000 metres record, which had stood since 2009, was finally eclipsed on Saturday when Dubliner Sarah Healy clocked 8:36.06 at a World Indoor Tour meeting in Metz, France on Saturday.
Healy finished second behind Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha – and her time took seven seconds off the previous record of 8:43.74, set by North Sligo Mary Cullen.
The Sligo woman set that 3000m time in February 2009, just a month before famously winning bronze for Ireland at the European Indoor Championships in Turin.
Back then, Cullen’s team beat the previous Irish record, set by Sonia O’Sullivan, which had stood since 2001.
Cullen’s record had stood for 15 years – until Healy’s excellent run in France at the weekend.
Top 5 Irish Indoor 3000m times
1. 8:36.06 Sarah Healy – Feb 3rd, 2024
2. 8:43.74 Mary Cullen – Feb 13th, 2009
3. 8:44.37 Sonia O’Sullivan – Mar 10th, 2001
4. 8:47.23 Ciara Mageean – Jan 22nd, 2022
5. 8:53.50 Roisin Flanagan – Feb 4th, 2023.
