From winning an inaugural mixed 4 x 400m relay to unprecedented success at the Paris Olympics, 2024 was nothing if not a memorable year for Irish sport on the world stage.
At the centre of many of those amazing moments was Tipperary native Sharlene Mawdsley, who not only won that European gold and ran in both the mixed and women's relays at the Olympics, but also endeared herself to the nation with a now famous post-race interview with David Gillick.
While having just changed coach, Mawdsley now looks set to deliver more moments of magic between now and LA 2028, the Irish sprinter has revealed that she had always planned on retiring after Paris.
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Sharlene Mawdsley reveals she had plans to retire after Paris Olympics
Mawdsley sat down with Aoife Rooney of the Irish Independent, where she spoke about her future in athletics and revealed that her plans to be a mother mean should she qualify, LA 2028 will be her last hoorah running in green.
The European gold medalist also revealed, however, that those heart-wrenching scenes we witnessed as the Irish women's 4 x 400m relay team just missed out on a medal in Paris was supposed to be her last outing for the country.
I always said I would retire in 2024, but because things are going well and I’ll be 30 in 2028, that will be enough. I definitely want to do something other than athletics, but I will be really happy if I make it to the LA Olympics and finish there. If I don’t have to sit at a desk for the next four years, I’ll be pretty happy.
10 August 2024; The Team Ireland relay team, from left, Sharlene Mawdsley, Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, and Rhasidat Adeleke react after finishing fourth the women's 4 x 400m relay final at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
While Sharlene Mawdsley admitted that famously crying while live on national television was an important moment in showing supporters just how much competing at the Olympics meant to her and her teammates, it was also the most embarrassing moment of her life.
(My most embarrasing moment was) probably crying on national television. I hadn’t watched it back in full until I was at a talk recently, and it kind of hurt almost to see it because I didn’t really see it as being me when it happened.
Mawdsley and her 4 x 400m teammates gave the now-famous interview after amazing runs from Femke Bol and Amber Anning saw Ireland drop to fourth in the 4 x 400m finals.
While a medal place proved marginally too much for the team, they certainly won the hearts and minds of the nation with their tear-jerking post-race interview that inspired young athletes the length and breadth of the country.
Paris 2024: "This team belongs in major finals."
Tears and pride from Ireland's women's 4x400 relay team after a performance to remember in the Olympic final
📺 Live on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ
📱 Updates https://t.co/Xy3If3Ako5#Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/icCMRwyLA4— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 10, 2024
Fortunately for Ireland, the amazing showing at the 2024 Olympics has clearly left Sharlene Mawsdley hungry for more. Hopefully, her continued presence in green will see her and Ireland go one step further in LA and claim that coveted medal.
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