Kelly McGrory's family and friends gather as Ireland pipped for Olympic medal
The Irish team knocked almost three seconds off their national record only to come fourth in the final of the Women's 4x400m Relay at the Olympic Games in Paris and were cheered on in Laghey
The Irish team fell inches short of an Olympic medal in the Women's 4x400m Relay after an incredible performance at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Sharlene Mawdsley ran the last leg for Ireland with the Netherlands, with 3:19.50, and Great Britain on 3:19.72 pipping her at the line for second and third, as the United States team stormed to the gold medal in a time of 3:15.27.
The quartet of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Mawdsley, clocked an astonishing national record of 3:19.90, obliterating the previous national record of 3:22.71.
Adeleke had come in following her fourth place in the Women's 400m final to replace Kelly McGrory from Laghey, who had run in the semi-final on Friday. McGrory would've become the first Donegal person to win an Olympic medal and her family and friends gathered at the Rambling House to cheer on the team.
Becker clocked 50.90 and was sixth at the first passing on the baton, followed by Adeleke's 48.92, which took Ireland to second at the halfway point, before Healy's 50.94, maintained the position. Mawdsley, on her 26th birthday, clocked a best-ever 49.14 only to finish fourth.
It continues a remarkable run of huge performances on the big stage by the Irish women’s 4x400m team, who made the World Athletics Championships final in Budapest last year, the world indoor final in Glasgow this year before winning silver behind the Dutch at the Europeans in Rome.