3 days Ago By Andrew Ryan
SHARLENE MAWDSLEY is looking forward to "a lil holiday" after capping off a landmark 2024 season. The Tipperary runner brought her season to an end with victory in the 400m at the Galà dei Castelli meeting last week. It brought to an end a year that saw the 26-year-old win a gold and silver relay medal at the European Championships .
A bronze in the mixed 4x400m at the World Relays in the Bahamas followed, feeding into the Paris Olympics - her first ever Games. It was a bittersweet experience for Mawdsley, who finished agonisingly short of a medal alongside Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, and Rhasidat Adeleke. In a lengthy post on social media, she capped off her year by listing her accomplishments, while looking ahead to some "much needed r&r".
She said: "Thank you & goodnight season 2024 "A little recap: - Became an OLYMPIAN!! - 2nd on the Irish all time list 💃 - PB 50.71 - European mixed 4x400m champions - European 4x400w silver - European 400 finalist - World relay mixed 4x400 bronze - National indoor champion & most importantly happy, healthy and ready to go for season 2025. "Thanks to every single person who has been in my corner.
My love and appreciation for you all is endless. "Now time for some much needed r&r" Mawdsley was an emotional wreck after the race , and spoke through tears during the team's post-race interview with RTE's David Gillick. She opened up on her reaction during an appearance on The 2 Johnnies podcast, admitting that she felt at fault for the result .
Mawdsley explained: "I thought I was in second, but we've all gotten the baton at the same time. "When I looked back on it, I was like, 'not the end of the world', because it does take four people and not just me. "At that time, I thought that's my fault that we came from second to fourth but we'd actually all gotten the baton at the same time which eased me a little bit.
"I had started crying on the track and then we went over and said thanks to the Irish fans for coming and I had seen my parents and I was like bawling. "My Mum was like "you ran a 49.14" so that was the fastest I'd ever ran, but she could've told me I ran a world record and it still wouldn't have made a difference because I was so upset.
"We went up to the interview and I was last because we go in order so it was Sophie [Becker], Rhasidat [Adeleke] and Phil [Healy]. "The girls were of course already upset and I was bawling and I was like. 'no I'll be ready now.
' "As soon as David asked me a question I was gone. "At the time, I was so embarrassed but looking back it's good for people to see we don't just go training everyday for no reason. "But to be honest I had no idea that we'll be in that position I genuinely thought we'd be at the back fighting for sixth or seventh.
".
