Tipperary athlete helps Team Ireland achieve record-breaking run in Belgrade
Relay team breaks existing Irish record by more than three seconds
A Tipperary woman was a member of Team Ireland, which secured two national 4x400 metres relay records on the final day of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Belgrade, breaking both of the previous records set at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest.
Sharlene Mawdsley from Newport AC joined Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC), Roisin Harrison (Emerald AC) and Phil Healy (Bandon AC) on the team that clocked a time of 3:30.97, missing out a final place by six hundredths of a second, and breaking the existing record by more than three seconds.
The previous record was set in 2004 in Budapest by Karen Shrinkins, Ciara Sheehy, Michelle Carey and Joanne Cuddihy.
The men's team of Cillin Greene (Galway City Harriers AC) Cathal Crosbie (Ennis Track AC), Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Chris O’Donnell (Galway City Harriers AC) secured a national indoor record time of 3:08.63, missing out on a final place by a mere 0.33 of a second.
As young Irish talents made their debut on the global stage, this championship offered all of Team Ireland a stepping stone for more great things to come from Irish athletics for the rest of the season.