The World Relay Championships unfolded at the weekend in Silesia, Poland, with Irish athletes scintillating in numerous disciplines.
The 4x400m mixed relay team of Chris O’Donnell (47.49), Phil Healy (51.87), Sharlene Mawdsley (51.56) and Thomas Barr (45.62) propelled themselves beyond the Olympic qualification standard in the heats on Saturday, securing a time of 3:16.84.
8 seconds faster than the previous Irish record set at the 2019 Minsk European Games, the quartet sealed both their tickets to Tokyo and spots in the final (as the fastest third placed team) which took place on Sunday.
Placing 7th overall in the entire event with 3:20.26 yesterday, Italy won outright with Brazil and the Dominican Republic finishing up second and third.
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The women’s 4x200m squad also put on impressive displays in the last few days, posting a second-place finish in the final behind Poland.
Aoife Lynch (Donore Harriers AC), Kate Doherty (DSD AC), Sarah Quinn (St Colman's South Mayo AC) and Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC) secured a time of 1:35.93, less than 1 second off the gold and ahead of Ecuador at 1:36.86 in third.
Making history with their new national record the podium came as a shock to the girls, Lynch even reflecting with athletics journalist Cathal Dennehy afterwards that “this time last week [she] didn’t even think [she’d] be there.”
“It was just a bonus being able to run tonight. I felt at home out there. It was phenomenal. Just buzzing!” she added.
Great run from Irish 4x200m team of Aoife Lynch, Kate Doherty, Sarah Quinn, and Sophie Becker to finish second at World Relays. pic.twitter.com/gYEMIJxEEb
— PJ Browne (@P_J_Browne) May 2, 2021
The 4x100m team of Sarah Quinn, Kate Doherty, Sarah Lavin and Molly Scott clocked 44.53 to come fourth in one of their heats, just 0.3 seconds off Olympic qualification and 10th place overall, securing a place for the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022.
Elsewhere Laura Mooney also broke the Irish U20 5,0000m record in Charlottesville, USA on Saturday evening with a time of 16:19.43.
?NEW IRISH RECORD?
Laura Mooney has set a new Irish U20 5,000m record at the Virginia Grand Prix in Charlottesville last night.
The @TullamoreH athlete clocked a superb 16:19.43 while competing for Providence College to break the previous outdoor record of 16:19.80 ? pic.twitter.com/hoHHY4wus5— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) May 2, 2021
