THE smiles said it all.
A week earlier, Sophie Becker and Sharlene Mawdsley were part of the 4x400 mixed relay team that missed out on an Olympic final. Even without star turn Rhasidat Adeleke - Becker having taken the 21-year-old’s place - it was a body blow. They expected better.
Neither Becker or Mawdsley managed to make it as far as Friday’s individual 400m final, but the 4x400 relay alongside Phil Healy and Kelly McGrory offered another route to the medal chase. Whether they could take it or not? Outside opinion was divided.
But the quartet seized their opportunity in some style, clocking a time of 3:25.05 to finish third behind first-placed Jamaica and the Netherlands, sealing their spot in Saturday evening’s Stade de France decider.
“The girls say I always look so controlled on the last leg and I know what I’m doing but every time I’m like ‘will I make my move now or will I go’,” said Mawdsley, who produced her usual stonking last leg, eating up the track in 49.65.
“You’re speeding up, slowing down. That’s what we train for, getting used to all of that in training. I trust myself so much in the last 100m of a relay now… I just charge for home.”
In her Olympic debut, Donegal woman McGrory posted her fastest-ever relay leg. The question now is whether Adeleke chooses to put herself forward for the final but, no matter what happens, McGrory played a huge part in Paris.
“I knew I had to go out hard at the start.
“We got the baton changed at the same time as the Dutch and then I just wanted to be ahead at the 200m mark, especially when we were getting lined up for Sharlene so I’m just happy with how it went.
“I knew when I was passing it over to Sharlene that we were going to be in good hands but all the girls ran amazing out there. We got the job done today, it was not an easy task but we did it.”
However, there was disappointment for fellow Tir Chonaill native Mark English later on Friday morning as he finished sixth in his semi-final of the hotly-contested 800m.
“It’s not the result I wanted out there today, I wanted to get through. I went for the win in the semi-final, but it just wasn’t my day.
“I couldn’t have given it any more and even in the warmup, I did everything and there’s nothing I would change. I was always going to give it my best shot. These opportunities don’t come around too often. I’m not sure I’ll be back at another one but I’ve given it my best shot.
“I’ve given everything to the sport.”
Elsewhere, Limerick’s Sarah Lavin also missed out on a final place 100m hurdles despite clocking 12.69 - just .07 seconds off her personal best - to finish sixth in her semi-final.
“I’m disappointed obviously.
“Up until the eighth hurdle I did everything I could, couldn’t have any regrets about my push from the start or how I got out but, yeah, I guess the speed we’re travelling at, you have to lift your knees and it’s not very forgiving… 12.69 is not a slow time but I was definitely hoping for more today.
“It’s a tough one for sure.”
