Killarney Valley Athletic Club sprinter Sarah Leahy has made history by setting a new Irish Women’s Indoor 50m record.

Competing at the Meeting Indoor Locarnese in Switzerland on Wednesday evening, Leahy clocked a blistering time of 6.41 seconds to take the top spot.
The performance eclipses the previous national record of 6.44 seconds, which had been held by Ailish McSweeney since 2005. Leahy, a member of the national women’s 4x100m relay team that famously set a new record at the London Diamond League last year, has started her 2026 indoor campaign in exceptional form.
Known for her explosive power out of the blocks, the Killarney athlete is now using the international circuit to prepare for the National Indoor Championships.
These are scheduled to take place in seven weeks at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown, where Leahy aims to defend the 60m title she has won for the past two years.
It is a busy period for Killarney Valley AC, as fellow club member Maria Murnane travels to Boston next week to compete in the 800m. Murnane is hoping to secure a scholarship in the United States following a highly successful 2025 season for the club, which saw its members secure 46 national and 96 Munster medals.
Local runners are also preparing for the return of the ‘Streets of Killarney’ 5-mile road race, which will take place on Good Friday, April 3.
The fast, flat course through Killarney House and the National Park serves as a major fundraiser for the Killarney Valley AC Arena. Entries are already open, with a strong field expected from across the country.