A blistering 49.49s leg from Rhasidat Adeleke helped the Irish team run a new national record in the women's 4x400m relay and book there place in the tomorrow's final at the European Athletics Championships.
Adeleke was handed the baton in third place before she made extraordinary ground on those ahead of her, giving Sharlene Mawdsley a significant lead going into the final leg.
Mawdsley decided to conserve energy and was ultimately passed in the final metres but by then the job was done.
The previous record dated back to the 2011 World Championships.
Ireland's 4x400m relay team of Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley smashed the national record to reach the European Championships final #rtesport #Munich2022 pic.twitter.com/p34StWU1Yz
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 19, 2022
Rhasidat Adeleke leads Ireland to "unbelievable" national record
The Irish team gave there reaction to qualifying to BBC after the race.
"Last night we said we'd be disappointed if we didn't get into the final, we wanted to run a national record and we ticked both boxes. I'm so proud of us," Wexford woman Sophie Becker said.
Phil Healy who ran the second leg described the performance as "unbelievable."
"To come out and really shatter that national record, which has stood for a long time, to take over a second off that is unbelievable."
"I think it was amazing what we did," added Mawdsley.
"I slowed up towards the end of the race because I knew we were in a qualifying spot.
"I had to conserve some energy for tomorrow. Getting a big Q and a national record, we really can't complain with that."
Shanahan runs 'race of her life'
Earlier in the day, Louise Shanahan produced a stunning performance to automatically qualify for the final of the women's 800m.
The Leevale athlete ran what RTÉ's Greg Allen described as the "race of her life" to book her place in the final.
The 25-year-old from Cork positioned herself nicely throughout the race, which went through the first lap in a pedestrian sixty seconds.
💥IT'S A EUROPEAN 800M FINAL FOR LOUISE SHANAHAN💥
Louise Shanahan has run the race of her life to secure a place in Saturday's 800m final!! The Leevale athlete finished 3rd to secure automatic qualification in a quality field🙌🇮🇪
⏱️2.01.15
ℹ️Result: https://t.co/HsYvKv9Dvf pic.twitter.com/gyU2mDHPa1— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) August 19, 2022
When the move was made by Olympic and world silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson, Shanahan went with her.
Known for her trademark blistering kick which has broken the hearts of many a domestic athlete down the years, the PhD student in Cambridge digged deep to secure one of automatic qualifying spots finishing third in a time of 2.01.15.
The Irish record holder will now believe that she can possibly make the podium.
It has been a fantastic season to date for Shanahan who is coached by her father Ray along with Phil O'Dell.
Back in May, she broke Ciara Mageean's national 800m record clocking a time of 1.59.42 to become only the second ever Irish woman to break the magical two minute barrier for the event.
Superb race by @LouiseShanahan who kicks by @ciaramageean at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet - her 1:59.42 (unofficial) breaks Mageean's Irish 800m record. pic.twitter.com/pNriKcAFN4
— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) May 14, 2022
Shanahan then qualified for the World Championships where she didn't advance through the heats.
She will return to the track for the final at 7:15pm tomorrow.
19 August 2022; Louise Shanahan of Ireland reacts after finishing 3rd, to qualify for the final, in the Women's 800m Semi-final during day 9 of the European Championships 2022 at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
The Irish Men's 4x100m team failed to finish in their heat this morning.
Israel Olatunde, Mark Smyth, Colin Doyle, and Joseph Ojewumi could not manage to get the baton around cleanly.
All eyes will be on Ciara Mageean tonight as she competes in the final of the women's 1500m.
Mageean from Co. Down is tipped for a medal.
The former European medallist toes the line at 7:45pm.
Before that just after 7:30, Donegal man Mark English will be looking to make the final of the men's 800m. English will need to finish in the top three to seal his spot in Sunday evening's final.
It has been a good championships for Ireland so far with Israel Olatunde finishing sixth in the Men's 100m and Rhasidat Adeleke finishing fifth in the Women's 400m.
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