Treacy secures European final spot

Dunboyne AC's Sara Treacy has qualified for the European Athletics Championships final of the 3000m Steepechase on Sunday evening at 3.30pm following today's heats in Amsterdam.

Moynalvey woman Treacy, who runs in the Dunboyne AC singlet, progressed as an automatic qualifier following her fifth placed finish in the second heat.

Treacy will be joined in the 3000m Steeplechase final by Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) and Michelle Finn (Leevale).

Finn ran in the first heat, finishing fourth to qualify for the final automatically. Treacy and O'Flaherty both went in the second heat, with Treacy finishing in fifth to take an automatic spot, while O'Flaherty finished just behind her to qualify as a fastest runner-up.

The five fastest qualifiers for Sunday's final all came from Treacy's heat with her new personal best time of 9:42.16 leaving her just three and a half seconds behind heat two winner, and fastest qualifier, Luiza Guiga and in a great position to secure a medal in the final.

The winner of heat one was over a second and half slower than Treacy's outstanding time.