The Irish women's 4 x 400m relay final at the Irish Universities Athletics Association's track and field championships is currently being seen by most of the western world owing to an astonishingly dramatic comeback coupled with some utterly fantastic commentary. It is among the best ever track finishes. Watch it below, with the final lap starting at the three-minute mark:
Phil Healy was the athlete who took UCC 'from the depths of hell' in fifth position to win an extraordinary race.
Hello lactic 🙋🙋great to run the last leg for @uccathletics 4x4 and end up getting the win...And also a few grazes 😂😂 https://t.co/p8Fi6r5p4F
— Phil Healy (@philhealy2) April 16, 2016
Simply extraordinary. Here are six other absurdly dramatic finishes to athletic events to rank alongside Healy's superlative achievement, legitimate claims to the crown of best ever track finishes:
John Treacy versus Steve Ovett in 1980
Steve Ovett was the recently crowned Olympic champion, and was halted by both hubris and a fantastic finish by Irishman John Treacy. The drama kicks off at 2.40:
1997 Ironman World Championship
If you are unaware, the Ironman World Championship is one of the most absurdly difficult sporting events on the planet. It is a triathalon consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride ending in a 26.2 mile run, otherwise known as a bloody marathon. The end to the 1997 championship, as athletes Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham came towards the finishing line, is one of the most absurd finishes to a sporting event we have ever seen:
4 x 400m relay at the IHSA State Boys Track Meet 2011
IHSA stands for Illinois High School Association. Otherwise, we don't know much of the competitors, but the finish is insane:
400m Hurdles at the 1987 World Championships
Ed Moses stormed ahead only to fade near the end, but just clung on. The emphasis there should be on 'just'. Moses finished 0.02 seconds ahead of Danny Harris and Harald Schmid.
A stricken Derek Redmond is helped off the track by his father atthe 1992 Olympics
At the 1992 Olympics, sprinter Derek Redmond was one of the favourites to take a medal. He started well, posting the fastest time in the first round and winning his quarter-final. Disaster struck then in the semi-final, when Redmond tore his hamstring lass than 250 metres to the line. Incredibly, his father barged past security to lift his son and help him hobble across the line.
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad disqualified from European Championships
So dominant was French athlete Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad during the 3000m steeplechase at the European Athletics Championships that virtually the only athlete that could stop him was himself. That is exactly what happened, as he removed his singlet in celebration and was disqualified, as athletes must display their number at all times. Jerry Kiernan branded him an "clown" and an "imbecile" in the RTE studio afterwards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh__6FwvCNw
