Sharlene Mawdsley achieved both a new personal best and a sub-Olympic qualifying time when she ran 50.72 in the 400m at the Memorial Janusza Kusocinskiego meeting in Chorzow, Poland, Saturday afternoon.
I did it 😭❤️🔥
Olympic standard!!! #50.72
— Sharlene (@sharlenem229) May 18, 2024
It was likely that Mawdsley would qualify through rankings in any case, but her time ensures that she is eligible to run on the Irish Mixed and/or Women’s 4×400 relay teams, both of which she helped achieve Olympic qualification while setting new national records in the Bahamas two weeks ago.
Mawdsley’s run — well under the Olympic requirement of 50.95 — shaved .37 seconds off her personal record, and put her second on the all-time Irish list behind only Rhasidat Adeleke, the only other Irish woman to have achieved the 400m qualifying time thus far.
Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) moves to second on the Irish All-Time List over 400m clocking a superb PB of 50.72 at the Memoriał Janusza Kusocińskiego meeting in Chorzow, Poland 🤩
Result ⬇https://t.co/BfMFIHqOhs#IrishAthletics pic.twitter.com/BkpjGeIsFV
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) May 18, 2024
The focus is now on Paris and Ireland’s chances for a relay medal.