Ireland’s 4x400m Relay Team Secures Historic Spot in Olympic Final with Thrilling Performance in Paris
In a stunning display of athleticism, Ireland’s 4x400m relay team has advanced to the final of the Olympic Games, making history as the first Irish women’s relay team to do so. Competing in the heats this morning in Paris, the team—comprising Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Kelly McGrory, and Sharlene Mawdsley—clocked an impressive 3:25.05, securing third place behind Jamaica (3:24.92 SB) and the Netherlands (3:25.03), and claiming one of the automatic qualification spots.
Wexford’s Sophie Becker set the pace with her fastest-ever relay split (50.90), handing the baton to Bandon’s Phil Healy, who maintained the team’s position through a determined leg. Becker’s performance was the fastest of all opening legs by half a second.
Donegal’s Kelly McGrory followed, delivering a remarkable Olympic debut with her fastest relay leg to date, before passing the baton to Tipperary’s Sharlene Mawdsley. Mawdsley, renowned for her strong finishes, anchored the team with a final leg of 49.65, ensuring their place in the final.
A 49.74-second final leg from Sharlene Mawdsley secured third for Ireland and a place in Saturday's women's 4x400m relay final
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The team expressed their excitement and pride after the race:
“It’s unbelievable to come away as Olympic finalists. That was our goal coming in here. We knew the draw was tough, but to secure an automatic qualification early in the morning is just fantastic,” said Phil Healy.
Kelly McGrory added, “I knew I had to go out hard from the start. We passed the baton alongside the Dutch, and my goal was to be ahead at the 200m mark, especially to set Sharlene up well. I’m so happy with how it went. All the girls ran brilliantly, and we got the job done.”
Sophie Becker reflected on her performance: “I’m absolutely delighted. It was challenging not knowing how Jamaica was performing, so I focused on staying close. The repechage helped a lot; I felt great after my race a few days ago and was eager to go again. The result speaks for itself; the repechage was definitely worth it!”
Sharlene Mawdsley shared her thoughts on their historic achievement: “The girls always say I look so composed on the last leg, but inside, I’m constantly deciding when to make my move. That’s what we train for—to handle those moments. I trust myself in the last 100m of a relay now, and I just charged for home.”
Phil Healy concluded with praise for the supporters: “The atmosphere was electric, and it’s all thanks to the traveling Irish fans. Rhasidat was right—it really did feel like Morton Stadium out there! The roar Sophie got at the start was unbelievable, and the support from back home has been incredible. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to a ‘home Games’.”
"We said we were going to do it, we did it!" –
Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Kelly McGrory and Sharlene Mawdsley react to qualifying for the 4x400m relay final
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📱 Live updates https://t.co/JcS0y4dHUk#Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/YoTRuMGO94— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 9, 2024
This historic performance sets the stage for an exciting final, as Ireland’s 4x400m relay team prepares to compete for Olympic glory.
