'Three years I waited for this moment, three years of giving everything,' says Sharlene

Newport AC's Sharlene Mawdsley has given her reaction to making Team Ireland for the Paris Olympics describing them as a "dream come true".

In a post on her Instagram, she said: "Three years I waited for this moment, three years of giving everything I had to this sport. I can finally say it - I’m going to be an Olympian.

"The past three years have tested me more than I could ever imagine, the highs I’ve relished, the lows I’ve endured - The end goal was always the same - the Olympics &&& I DID IT!!!!!! This truly means everything to me."

She added: "Missing out on Tokyo 3 years ago has shaped me into the athlete I am today - strong, resilient and realistic.

"Although I ran the Olympic standard in May, I never truly felt it was going to be enough, some might say a bit of PTSD was in there.

"The stress of waiting for that confirmation, remembering exactly where I received the heartbreaking call 3 years ago, I thought I would never run again. But here I am, 3 years later - going to the Paris Olympic Games."