Sharlene Mawdsley smashes her 400m personal best for second time in three days to win in Brussels

Sharlene Mawdsley won the 400m at the IFAM Outdoor meeting in Brussels with a personal best of 50.17 seconds, improving on her 50.52 from Savona. She led from start to finish and finished nearly a second ahead of Belgium’s Helena Ponette, who ran 51.15. Her performance continued strong early-season form, including a 48.34 final leg with a rolling start that helped the Irish women’s 4x400m team win a qualifying round at the World Relays in Botswana. At the European 10,000m Cup in La Spezia, Niamh Allen helped the Irish women win silver in the team event, finishing fifth in the women’s A race in 32:15.79. Fiona Everard ran 32:41.28 for 10th, and Sorcha Nic Dhómhnaill finished 33:19.00 for 20th. Oisín Gallen led the Irish men in 29:17.30 for 26th. Nick Griggs finished second in the mile in Belfast in 3:57.76, behind Joseph Tuffin’s 3:54.76.

"The Tipperary sprinter clocked 50.17 seconds to better the 50.52 personal best she ran at the Savona International Meeting in Italy on Wednesday. In Brussels, she again dominated the race from start to finish, coming home almost a second clear of Belgium's Helena Ponette (51.15)."

"It continues the fine early-season run of form from Mawdsley, who, with a rolling start, produced a spectacular final leg of 48.34 seconds to help the Irish women's 4x400m team to victory in the second qualifying round at the World Relays in Botswana earlier this month. The Irish 400m record is the 49.07 run by Rhasidat Adeleke to win silver at the 2024 European Championships."

"Meanwhile, at the European 10,000m Cup in La Spezia, Italy, Niamh Allen led the Irish women to silver medals in the team event, the Leevale athlete coming home fifth in the women's A race in 32:15.79. Fiona Everard lowered her personal best to finish 10th in 32:41.28, while Sorcha Nic Dhómhnaill rounded out the scoring, which was based on cumulative time, finishing 20th in 33:19.00."

"Meanwhile, Nick Griggs was in action at the British Milers Club meeting in Belfast, the European U-23 cross country champion finishing second in the mile in 3:57.76, with victory going to Britain's Joseph Tuffin in 3:54.76."

Read at Irish Independent