In an exhilarating race held at France’s Stade de France, Ireland’s women’s 4x400m relay team successfully clinched a spot in the Olympic finals. Making up the team were athletes Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Kelly McGrory, and Sharlene Mawdsley, who, in the second heat, managed to secure a position in the top three, thereby cementing their qualification.
Notably, it was Mawdsley who raced the anchor leg, showcasing her well-known surge that propelled Ireland from fourth position to third in the race’s final section. She also clocked the fastest split in their heat with her 49.65-second finish. The race was fiercely contested, with Jamaica winning it with a time of 3:24.92, closely followed by the Dutch team who held onto the second place just marginally faster than Ireland with a timing of 3:25.03. Mawdsley led the Irish team to a third-place finish with a time of 3:25.05.
Although Ireland’s mixed 4x400m relay team reached the finals in Tokyo three years prior, this marks the inaugural qualification of a women’s team for an Olympic final. The final event is scheduled for Saturday evening (8.14pm Irish time) and signifies the conclusion of the Olympic track events.
In the two heats, Ireland’s time of 3:25.05 stood as the seventh quickest overall. Yet, depending on the result of Rhasidat Adeleke’s forthcoming 400m final on Friday evening, it is anticipated that she could replace one of the team members in the final race.
Becker offered an excellent beginning for Ireland, her 50.90-second split set them ahead of Jamaica. Healy’s impressive leg kept them leading until the second changeover, with a split of 51.90. Last but not least, McGrory gave it her all in her leg, maintaining the lead until exhaustion began to set in towards the end of the race, giving way to Jamaica, Netherlands, and Canada.
When Mawdsley began her portion of the relay, she was trailing by approximately five metres. However, by the time she reached the backstretch, she had managed to catch up with the three athletes before her. She then patiently waited until she had the chance to overtake Canada’s Kyra Constantine, ending up just behind Lisanne De Witte from the Netherlands.
By the time of this race, both Becker and Mawdsley had three previous races under their belts – participated in mixed relay heats, 400m heats, and a repechage round. Neither showed signs of exhaustion.
Mawdsley mentioned that her teammates commend her composure during the last leg of the race and despite her moments of doubt, she always trusted herself to perform at crucial times. She also expresses confidence in the team’s potential to get a top place finish and her pride in their performance. Mawdsley mentions the need to rest and reconvene to prepare for the next phase of the competition while waiting for Rhasidat’s final.
Healy, another team member, was very happy with their achievement and their status as Olympic finalists, which was their original goal. She acknowledged the challenge of the task at hand and is content with accomplishing their goals early in the day.
Becker was pleased with her perfectly timed opening leg and was overjoyed at the team’s performance. She navigated the tricky situation of not knowing how well Jamaica was performing, focusing on her role in the team and passing the baton to her teammate. The advantageous positioning for baton exchanges, she believes, worked in their favour during the relay.
Upon handing over the baton to Mawdsley, McGrory was certain that the Tipperary athlete would successfully finish for the team.
“She reflected on the necessity of starting strong in the race, and pointed out that their baton change occurred simultaneously with the Dutch team. Her aim was to secure a lead position by the 200m mark, particularly in preparation for Sharlene’s leg of the run. She expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
She clearly trusted Sharlene to keep their position steady and praised the exceptional performance of the entire team. They completed that day’s challenge beautifully, even though it was far from easy.
The USA predictably clinified the first heat with a commanding lead, clocking a time of 3:21.44. The British team occupied the second position with a time of 3:24.72, just edging out the French team who finished at 3:24.73.
More updates will be provided soon…”