One of Irish sport’s most consistent performers on the global scene in recent years has been our 4x400m relay squads, particularly in the mixed event.
The journey started in May 2021 with Athletics Ireland spotting an opportunity for Ireland to qualify a mixed 4x400m relay team for the Tokyo Olympics. With several nations missing the World Relays in Poland, the Irish team of Chris O’Donnell, Tom Barr, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley finished third in their heat, qualifying for the final and therefore qualifying the team for the Olympics. Barr was replaced by Andrew Mellon for the final with his job done and Ireland finished 7th overall.
Since May 2021, there’s been three global championships (outdoors) with Ireland reaching the final in each of the three mixed relay events. 8th at the Tokyo Olympics, 8th at the 2022 World Championships and 6th at the 2023 World Championships.
The women’s 4x400m have entered two outdoor championships since 2021 and they have qualified for the final in both: 2022 European Championships, 2023 World Championships.
While we may not have the deepest pool in world athletics, we’re not reliant on one or two athletes for these consistent performances either.
Our brightest star, Rhasidat Adeleke, has only raced three times for the relay squads in the ten races they’ve competed in since May 21 (six mixed, four women). Sophie Becker has competed in all ten races, with Sharlene Mawdsley next highest with seven appearances. Chris O’Donnell has been involved in all six mixed races, with Jack Raftery running the last four and Cillin Greene getting selected for the Tokyo Olympics.
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Ireland relay teams hoping to secure Olympics berth this weekend
Ireland have selected 11 athletes for the upcoming World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas.
Barr returns for the first time since May 2021 and he joins Raftery, Greene and O’Donnell in the mixed squad. Seven women have been named to compete in both the mixed and women’s events. Adeleke, Becker, Mawdlsey and Healy are joined by Roisin Harrison (herself a finalist in the 2023 World outdoor and 2024 World indoor women’s relay events) and newcomers Lauren Cadden and Rachel McCann.
Due to the new Olympic qualifying set up of the World Relays, squad depth is going to be critical to Ireland’s chances of qualifying for Paris.
14 of the 16 available relay spots for this summer’s games will be handed out in Nassau. Unlike previous events, there will be no timed element, with all quotas being decided by finishing positions. On day one, there will be four heats in each event with the top two in each heat qualifying for the final and the Olympics.
In the World Athletic top lists, Ireland is ranked 10th in the women’s event and 11th in the mixed. We should see at least two higher ranked nations ahead of us in both events. This is where team selection strategy comes in.
The mixed relay starts at 19:05 (local time) on the Saturday. The women’s relay heats start just two hours later at 21:05. It appears that Ireland have chosen our fastest two women, Adeleke and Mawdsley, in a bid to qualify in the mixed event in the first round.
Team criteria is slightly stricter around the mixed relay compared to the gendered races, with only six athletes (three men, three women) to be named instead of the standard eight. One substitution is allowed for the mixed squad between rounds.
The women’s team is therefore unlikely to feature Adeleke and Mawdsley in the first round. While not suggesting the team of Healy, Becker, Harrison et al aren’t good enough to qualify themselves, it’s not unkind to suggest they have a harder task ahead of them.
Some nations, including Great Britain, have not selected their best women for the mixed relays and have prioritised the women’s race. If either team does not finish in the top two in round one, they’ll move on the repechage round – recently renamed “Olympic Qualification Round Two.”
On day two, the “losing” countries will race in one of the three repechage races for each event. The top two in each of these races will qualify for the Olympics.
In a perfect world, Ireland will have qualified both relays on day one, but a more achievable goal may be qualifying the mixed relay - allowing a switch of focus to the women’s race for day two.
The timeline for day two is even tighter. The women’s round two starts at 20:30, with the mixed round two following just 34 minutes later at 21:04 (local time) so it won’t be possible for runners to compete in both races. If the mixed team qualify on day one, Adeleke and Mawdsley could switch to the women’s for day two, increasing our chances of qualifying that second Olympic relay squad.
Draws for both events could be crucial, but they won’t be known until closer to race time. What we do know is that on Saturday at 19:05 (local time)/ (just after midnight in Ireland), the mixed 4x400m relay qualification round one will start. If Ireland finish in the top two, they qualify for the final and, crucially, for the Olympic Games.
Two hours later (21:05 local time/02:05 Irish time), the women’s 4x400m relay heats will begin. Again, a top two finish is needed for the finals and Olympic qualification.
On Sunday, the women’s 2nd round of qualifiers begins at 20:30 (01:30 Irish time) with the mixed 2nd round starting at 21:04 (02:04). Oh and if everything goes perfectly, then the mixed final is 21:40 (02:40) and the women's final is 22:10 (03:10). Two races for each Irish squad, and a top two finish needed in at least one of their races to qualify for Paris.
Let’s hope they can get it done.
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