Irish relay team success 'didn't happen overnight'

The older sister of Ireland's European 4x400m silver medalist Phil Healy has hailed the team for their performance in last night’s race in Rome, saying that it "hasn’t been an overnight success".

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Joan Healy also said it was "far easier" being the athlete for such races, as being a spectator left her "on nerves all day".

The relay team of Healy, Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, and Sharlene Mawdsley secured a silver medal at the European Championships last night, in a new Irish record time of 3:22:71.

"I was at the edge of my seat," Joan Healy said.

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"I had a sick feeling in my stomach, because we knew what was possible and I know how hard these girls have worked. This hasn't been an overnight success for this moment."

"It hasn't been an overnight success, these girls have worked so hard for so many years," she said, adding that: "We all knew they had a chance last night and it was just a brilliant sight to see."

"Either of us, and especially Phil, wouldn't be here without them"

Joan Healy said her parents were in Rome to watch Phil run.

"I spoke to my mum after the race and she was just hysterical," she laughed.

"But it was an amazing thing for them to see because, you know, they've been with us since we started athletics when we were 10 and 11 and they've been travelling to championships with us all these years, and to finally see the girls and for Phil to finally get a medal at this stage in her career was just so amazing."

"We are a family of