The dream is still alive for the County Meath athlete.
Sara Treacy was going great guns – in the leading pack – during the third and final heat of the Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase. Then, disaster struck.
A tangle between three runners took out Treacy, Aisha Praught (Jamaica) and Ethiopia’s Etenesh Diro. A Praught trip caused the pile-up.
All the women regained their footing but their chances of getting into Monday’s final looked to be slipping away. The forerunners had stretched 50 metres away and there was only two laps to go.
Diro had to do it with one runner left.
The fact that Treacy kept plugging away and finished as strongly as possible proves her fighting spirit. Her time of 9.46.24 was only seven seconds off her personal best and she lost at least 10 from the incident.
She looked absolutely gutted at the conclusion of the race but better news was not far away.
There was an appeal lodged after the race and, thankfully, all three athletes were reinstated for the final.
Monday’s final will take place at 3:15pm local time [7:15pm Irish].
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