‘I had a few cries’ – Sharlene Mawdsley recovers from disqualification as Irish relay team book world final spot

Sharlene Mawdsley produced a storming run as the Irish women’s 4x400m team smashed the national record to advance to the World Indoor Championship final.

The team of Mawdsley, Roisin Harrison, Phil Healy and Sophie Becker will be hoping to take home a medal in tonight’s final (8.30pm) after their record-setting effort in Glasgow this afternoon.

It was particularly emotional for Mawdsley, who said her run of 50.48 – which was the fastest split in any heat – was ‘redemption’ after getting disqualified following her 400m semi-final for obstruction.

Mawdsley and team-mate Healy produced particularly outstanding runs, with Healy leading the team off in front with a 51.93-second split, the quickest of any first-leg runner from either heat. She handed over to Sophie Becker, who split 53.05 to keep Ireland in contention, with Roisin Harrison clocking 52.99 on the third leg to hand over to Mawdsley in fourth.

The Newport sprinter had several metres to make up on her three rivals, but Mawdsley did it sensibly, slowly, pulling herself back to the field and holding the inside line throughout, bringing Ireland home at close range in fourth in a huge national record of 3:28.45, which qualified them for the final on time. The Netherlands took victory, anchored by individual 400m champion Femke Bol, in 3:27.70.

Mawdsley’s split of 50.48 was the fastest on any athlete from either heat. “I had my redemption today and I’m walking away this evening as a world finalist – I couldn’t ask for more than that,” said Mawdsley. “I thought, just go for it – I’m getting a lot braver.”

How did she spend the weekend following the crushing disappointment of Friday night, when she was disqualified for obstructing an Austrian athlete?

“I had my cry, a few cries, and yesterday I had relay training with the girls, they made me forget about it and they were all as hungry as I was, as disappointed as I was,” she said. “I had the backing of the whole country.”

Healy was equally overjoyed, having sacrificed an invite for the individual 400m here to save herself for the relay. The Bandon AC athlete was below her best for much of the past two years as she dealt with Hashimoto’s disease, but having got a handle on that in recent months, she produced as good a performance as she ever has in an Irish vest.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Healy. “I’m not used to running the first leg, but I ran it like an individual 400m and went out fighting for everything I could, I wanted to get there first and hand over to Sophie in the best position. Each of the girls went out there and gave it their all. Especially after Sharlene the last day, we had a lot to give back and we wanted Sharlene to leave as a world finalist.”

The final takes place at 8.30pm tonight. “Everything is to play for,” said Healy. “We’ll go out there fighting.”

World Indoor Championships Live: BBC Two, 6.30pm; Virgin Media Two, 6.50pm

Irish in action 7.40pm: Sarah Lavin, women’s 60m hurdles semi-finals 8.30pm: Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Roisin Harrison, women’s 4x400m heats 9pm: *Sarah Lavin, women’s 60m hurdles final *Pending qualification

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