Ireland women claim European Championship silver medal in 4X400m relay

Ireland have secured more track success at the European Championships in Rome tonight, with the women’s 4x400m relay team earning silver at the Stadio Olimpico.

A strong Dutch team secured the gold, but not without a close battle right up to the finish line. Belgium followed closely behind to claim bronze.

A phenomenal start from Sophie Becker in lane 6 put Rhasidat Adeleke in perfect position to take the lead on the second lap of the relay. An expert third lap from experienced Irish athlete Phil Healy left the Irish in contention for another podium position.

Mawdsley kept pace with athletics superstar Femke Bol and challenged her for the final lap, but the Dutch athlete just managed to pull away in the final stretch.

In hugely impressive performance from the Irish team, the four track athletes ran a new national record time of 3:22.71, just a fraction of a second behind the Dutch winners.

The 2024 European Championships have been a record breaking one for team Ireland, who now leave with 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals. The last time Ireland won a gold medal in the European CHampionships was with Sonia O’Sullivan in 1998.

Any Irish fans watching watching tonight will be safe in the knowledge that Ireland is sending arguably its strongest athletics team ever to the Paris Olympics.