Ireland women's 4x400m relay team seal World Championships qualification in Guangzhou
Rhasidat Adeleke
and
Sharlene Mawdsley
helped ensure the Ireland women's 4x400m relay team sealed the deal on day two of the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, winning their second-round qualifying heat in thrilling fashion.
It was their second chance to secure automatic qualification for the World Championships in Tokyo in September; Adeleke and Mawdsley switching over from the mixed 4x400m heat on Saturday, where Ireland's second-place finish earned their Tokyo spot.
After a rainy night on Saturday, conditions inside the Guangdong Olympic Stadium were more favourable to fast relay running, and the Irish quartet took full advantage, Mawdsley running another stunning anchor leg to get past Australia's Alanah Yukich in the last 150m, Ireland winning in 3:24.69.
How a winning preperformance at the World Relays looks👇
💥BECKER 51.41
💥ADELEKE 50.38
💥MCCANN 52.89
💥MAWDSLEY 50.01
It was never in doubt😎💚
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics)
Mawdsley's 400m split of 50.01 seconds was the fastest of the heat. Australia finished second in 3:27.31 and Switzerland third in 3:32.37. Adeleke clocked 50.38 in her second leg.
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It was a call to arms, so to speak. Adeleke and Mawdsley both concentrating on the mixed relay on Saturday, before the women's 4x400m finished third in their first round heat, thus needing Sunday's second chance to qualify.
There were two second round qualifying heats on Sunday, the top three in each also booking their Tokyo ticket.
The Ireland team featured three of the quartet that finished fourth in the Paris Olympics last summer. Rachel McCann replaced Phil Healy, who also ran in Saturday's heats, while Lauren Cadden also made way as Adeleke and Mawdsley came back on board.
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄💥
A second relay team have qualified for the World Champs with the women's 4x400m punching their ticket to Tokyo 25🙌
⏱️1st in 3:24.69WQ 👏
Full result:
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics)
Sophie Becker led off again, running an excellent leg that saw Ireland reach the first exchange alongside Australia. Adeleke them moved them in front on the second leg, and McCann maintained that spot until passed by Australia's Jemma Pollard down the homestretch.
Mawdsley took over the baton in second but never panicked, biding her time before kicking hard around the final bend, Ireland pulling away to win.
The fancied Jamaican women's team did not start, which meant only five teams lined up: China, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Zambia.
Given the increase in relay events, the mixed 4x100m being a new addition this year, teams can now swap an unlimited number of athletes between rounds.
Not to be for the men's 4x400m team in Guangzhou, but this is just the start of their journey📈
⏱️7th in 3:04.42✅ 👏
Full result:
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics)
The Irish men's 4x400m quartet also had another chance at World Championship qualification, going in the second of their second-round qualifying heats. However, their seventh-place finish left them some distance off despite chasing hard the entire way.
With 17-year-old Conor Kelly on the first leg, his split 46.40 seconds, Ireland reached the first changeover in eighth. Cillín Greene ran an excellent 45.91 on the second leg, passing Germany to move to seventh.
Chris O'Donnell held the position with a 46.23 before Jack Raftery produced a storming first 200m on the final leg. Despite clocking 45.88, Ireland couldn't improve on seventh, finishing in 3:04.42. The USA took the win in 2:58.68.
The remaining Irish interest will be in the mixed 4x400m final at 2.03pm Irish time.
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