Ireland’s Mixed 4x400m Relay Team have finished eighth in the final of the event at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The team of Chris O’Donnell (North Sligo AC), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrocks AC), Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers AC), and Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) crossed the line in a time of 3.16.86, slower than their 3.13.88 to qualify earlier in the day.
O’Donnell ran a split of 46.26s, Becker clocked 52.24s, Raftery ran 45.90s, while Mawdsley split a time of 52.46s.
O’Donnell and Becker will now turn their focus to competing in their individual heats.
Pre-race favourites the Dominican Republic won gold. They were led home by Cofil Fiordaliza to finish in a time of 3.09.82, the second fastest in history. Femke Bol, typically a 400m hurdler, led the Netherlands to a stunning silver medal, while Allyson Felix ran her final race as a professional athlete on the USA team who won bronze.
Ireland have now made the finals in the event at the World Relays, Olympic Games and World Championships in the space of eighteen months.
Rhasidat Adeleke who had ran a 49.80s split in the heat earlier in the day missed the final.
“Unfortunately, Rhasidat Adeleke was ill following the earlier heat and has not recovered in time for the final,” a post on Athletics Ireland’s social media said announcing the team who were taking to the start line.
It is unclear whether the nineteen-year-old will compete in the individual 400m, the heats of which are scheduled for 8pm Irish Time on Sunday.
Sarah Healy (UCD AC) was in action in the Women’s 1500m. The Irish U23 record holder was in contention at the bell but struggled to go with the pace in the final lap and finished twelfth in 4.11.31. Great Britain’s Laura Muir eased into Monday morning’s (Irish Time) semi-finals.
Shot put athletes Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrocks AC) and John Kelly (Finn Valley AC) became the first Irish men since Paul Quirke in 1993 to represent Ireland in the event at the World Championships. Throwing in Group A, Favors threw a best of 19.76m to finish 20th overall, while national record holder Kelly finished 29th with a best effort of 17.92m.
David Kenny (Farranfore Maine Valley AC) battled through gruelling conditions to finish 39th in the Men’s 20k Walk in a time of 1.31.23.
The second day of competition sees two Irish athletes in action. Thomas Barr (Ferrybank AC) races in Heat 4 of the Men’s 400m Hurdles at 9:41pm Irish Time. Barr will go in Lane 8. American Trevor Bassitt has the fastest time in the field with a 47.47s clocking to his name this season. The first four and four fastest losers will make the final.
Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC) races in Heat 1 of the Men’s 1500m at 2:30am Irish Time on Sunday morning. Ethiopian Samuel Tefera and Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot are the standout names in the heat. The first six plus the six fastest losers qualify for the semi-finals.
