Mawdsley returns with seasons best run

By Thomas Conway

Newport athlete Sharlene Mawdsley paid an emotional tribute to her late father following an impressive third place finish in the 400m at the European Team Championships in Maribor, Slovenia on Saturday.

The 26 year-old achieved a season’s best time of 50.93s, ultimately helping Ireland to fifth place in the overall standings. That result, however, was not enough to secure qualification for the top tier of the competition.

It has been a difficult couple of weeks for Mawdsley, following the untimely passing of her father Thomas on June 3rd.

Speaking to European Athletics following her performance in Maribor, the Olympian revealed that the decision to compete in these championships - a biannual competition in which European countries compete across three separate divisions - arrived at the last minute.

"I was going to have to race eventually, or he (dad) would probably haunt me,” she revealed.

“Initially, I wasn't doing Team Championships. The lane then became available, and I thought maybe that's a sign.”

She had previously run a time of 51.14s to finish second in the Continental Tour Gold meet in Zagreb, Croatia, on May 24th. On Saturday she scratched 0.21 seconds off that time, and Mawdsley attributed her strong performance to her father’s influence.

“To run a season's best is a nice boost, I guess,” she added.

“For the rest of the season and now I know he is looking down on me. He got me through that race so I'm sure it is going to be an upward trajectory for the rest of the season."

In further remarks to Athletics Ireland, she admitted that her schedule for the coming weeks is still yet to be decided and dedicated her display to her family.

“I don’t actually know what my plans are for the next few weeks. Today was just about getting out there and doing my family proud,” she said.

Mawdsley also featured in the 4x400m Mixed Relay on Sunday, alongside Jack Rafferty, Clíodhna Manning, and Callum Baird. The quartet clocked a time of 3:14:81, finishing second in their heat and fourth overall.

Mawdsley, who has forged a reputation as a formidable relay runner, ran the anchor leg, chasing down Olympic finalist Henriette Jaeger of Norway on the final stretch.

With a 43-strong team which featured the likes of hurdler Sarah Lavin, hammer-thrower Nicola Tuthill, and captain and 200m runner Marcus Lawlor, Ireland had harboured hopes of promotion to Division 1. However, it was not to be as Ireland would ultimately finish on 349 points behind champions Belgium (451.5), Slovenia (402.5), Norway (400) and Türkiye (382).