Sharlene Mawdsley anchor leg helps Ireland seal mixed relay World Championships qualification
With perhaps a little more fuss and some fury the Irish mixed 4x400m relay finished second in their heat on day one of the World Athletics Relays.
Sharlene Mawdsley
produced another sterling anchor leg to help secure their automatic qualification for the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
On a rainy night at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou, China, securing qualification for Tokyo was the priority of the Irish mixed quartet, who will now contest Sunday's final with medals and prize money on the line.
The team included three members of the quartet that won bronze in last year's World Relays in the Bahamas,
Rhasidat Adeleke
once again producing a brilliant run on the second leg, the 22-year-old moving Ireland from fourth to second behind the USA.
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They've done it!! 💥
Tokyo World Championship qualification secured & straight through to tomorrow's final🙌
⏱️Second place in 3:12.56WQ
Full result:
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics)
Cillín Greene lost a little ground on the third leg, Ireland left chasing the USA and Poland, Germany also close in fourth, before Mawdsley once again proved her value to the team, moving into second around the final bend to get past Poland and ensure the second-place finish.
The USA won in 3:11.37, ahead of Ireland's 3:12.56, Poland third in 3:12.70.
After a midafternoon downpour, the rain had eased off by the time the relay heats got under way. With 17-year-old Conor Kelly running the first leg – his senior outdoor debut – Ireland were always in contention, Adeleke taking up the baton in a close fourth although the changeover wasn't the smoothest.
Guangzhou presented two chances of Tokyo qualification. After a re-draw of the heats on Friday night, the top two in each of the mixed heats were automatic, plus the two best-placed teams thereafter. The remaining teams go through to the repechage round on Sunday, where the top two in each of the three heats will also qualify for Tokyo.
After the top 14 teams are known, the remaining two places in each event for Tokyo will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period.
🗣️ 'We've qualified for Tokyo, that's what we came here for.'
Hear from our Mixed 4x400m Relay team after they finished second in their heat and qualified for the World Championships in Guangzhou! 🙌
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics)
The mixed relay was the first of three Irish teams in action on day one in Guangzhou, and started heat two ranked third fastest of the seven starting teams. Ireland's 3:09.92, set in winning European gold in Rome last June, only marginally slower that Poland (3:09.87). The USA topped the list with 3:07.41.
Mawdsley called on all her experience in racing past Poland's Justyna Swiety Ersetic on the last leg, and it's likely Ireland will start with a different line-up in Sunday's final. Belgium won the first heat in 3:11.83, with Team GB winning the third heat in 3:13.28.
Ireland's 3:12.56 ranks them fourth of the eight finalists.
The women's 4x400m and men's 4x400m are also in action this afternoon, taking to the track at 1.53pm and 2.23pm respectively.
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