The Irish Mixed 4x400m Relay team just missed out on securing a 2027 World Championships qualification berth on the opening day of the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone in Botswana.
The team of Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC), Sean Doggett (Athenry AC) and Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) combined to clock a time of 3:12.05, finishing fourth in their heat and tenth overall. This was just two places outside qualification, but they will have another opportunity tomorrow.
The time was faster than the Irish quartet produced at the World Athletics Championships last year and gives them an excellent platform to build on heading into World Championship Qualification Round Two tomorrow where the top two teams will seal their spots on the plane to Beijing.
Mawdsley, who ran a blistering final leg, was upbeat in her assessment after.
“I’m actually happy with that,” she told Athletics Ireland. “We walked off the track in Tokyo knowing we hadn’t qualified and we were around until the last heat there sitting in the fastest loser’s position. That’s something to be really proud of, a second and a half faster than Tokyo and we’re in May, that’s really promising.”
“I think its promising,” teammate Sophie Becker added. “The first relay run of the year is always a bit rusty no matter how much we practice…We’re disappointed but we’ll go again tomorrow.”
Elsewhere, the Women’s 4x400m team of Rachel McCann (North Down AC), Jenna Breen (City of Lisburn AC), Molly Daly (Kilkenny City Harriers) and Arlene Crossan (Finn Valley AC) delivered a strong performance to finish fourth in their heat in 3:29.93.
Irish athletics history was made as for the first time three generations of the same family have now represented Ireland at senior international level. 18-year-old Daly, her mother Fiona Norwood and grandfather Robert Norwood have all achieved the feat, while her father Robert Daly is a Sydney 2000 Olympian.
“It’s crazy,” Daly said afterwards. “It’s so cool to be out here running at senior level, having my parents and grandfather who were at this level before. I’m soaking in this amazing experience and looking forward to the future.”
The Women’s 4x400m team will get another opportunity to qualify for the Beijing 2027 World Championships tomorrow.
There was disappointment for the Women’s 4x100m team of Molly Scott (St. Laurence O’Toole AC), Ciara Neville (Emerald AC), Mollie O’Reilly (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Sarah Leahy (Killarney Valley AC) who didn’t manage to get the baton around the track. The quartet will race again tomorrow.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t get the baton around, we’ve worked hard over the last two weeks,” Scott said. “We’re kind of starting all over again with the relay, building the programme back up from the bottom to the top hopefully in LA (Olympics) so we’re going to make mistakes. Hopefully we can go better tomorrow.”
The action continues tomorrow afternoon in Gaborone.
Team Ireland Results Summary
Day One – Saturday May 2nd
- Mixed 4x400m (Jack Raftery, Sophie Becker, Sean Doggett and Sharlene Mawdsley) – Round One – Heat 1/3 – 3:12.05 (4th in heat, 10th overall)
- Women’s 4x100m (Molly Scott, Ciara Neville, Mollie O’Reilly and Sarah Leahy) – Round One – Heat 1/3 – DQ
- Women’s 4x400m (Rachel McCann, Jenna Breen, Molly Daly and Arlene Crossan) – Round One – Heat 2/3 – 3:29.93 (4th in heat, 14th overall)
Team Ireland Schedule: Irish Time (Local time in brackets)
Day Two – Sunday May 3rd
- 1:31pm – Mixed 4x400m – World Championship Qualifying Round Two – Heat 2/2
- 1:44pm – Women 4x400m – World Championship Qualifying Round Two – Heat 1/2
- 2:38pm – Women 4x100m – World Championship Qualifying Round Two – Heat 2/2
Where to watch
Eurovision Sport will bring you live coverage across the two days. To watch click HERE (registration required).
- Results are HERE
- Interviews available on Athletics Ireland social media channels
