LAST UPDATE | 27 Aug 2023
IRELAND’S 4x400m RELAY team finished eighth in their final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
The team of Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC), Roisin Harrison (Emerald AC), Kelly McGrory (Tír Chonaill AC) and Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) clocked a time of 3:27.08.
They qualified by finishing 4th in the second of yesterday evening’s heats, securing one of the fastest non-automatic qualifier places with a time of 3:26.18, an achievement of note after Rhasidat Adeleke’s withdrawal due to injury concerns.
Mawdsley, who took to the track for her sixth 400m of the week, spoke of her pride in the performance after the race.
She said: “I’m so proud of this team. We ran our hearts out over the last two days, and we’ve finished with a top eight finish. We can’t thank the Irish support enough, it’s been amazing. We felt like we were locals stepping out onto the track and every cheer really drove us on so thanks so much to everyone for the support”.
The Netherlands won gold, just pipping Jamaica who got silver.
𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃! 🥇
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) August 27, 2023
An unbelievable anchor leg from Femke Bol secures another gold medal for her and Netherlands at World Athletics Championships! 🇳🇱
Ireland finish 8th in the world after another great performance! ☘️#TeamIreland #WorldAthleticsChamps #Budapest2023 pic.twitter.com/81Ylew09SS
In a thrilling race the Dutch 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol made up extraordinary ground in the home straight to pip Jamaica to the gold medal. Great Britain took bronze.
It was redemption for Bol, who fell within metres of the line in the 4x400m mixed relay last weekend, dropping the baton over the finish line.
Bol took the baton well down in third place for the fourth and final lap and gradually made up ground on Jamaica’s Stacey Ann Williams and Britain’s Nicole Yeargin.
Entering the home straight, the crowd rose to their feet as Bol accelerated past Yeargin and in a dramatic finish pipped Williams to the line.
She literally staggered from there into the arms of her three relay teammates, collapsing to the track after her breath-taking effort.
The Dutch took gold in 3:20.72, with Jamaica claiming silver in 3:20.88 and Britain rounding out the podium in 3:21.04.
