The Irish 4x400m relay team are through to the Olympic final after finishing third in their semi-final heat on Friday morning.
High off the success of the European Championships earlier this summer, the Irish quartet lined up in a tough second heat, where they would face the might of Jamaica and the Netherlands with a final spot in their sights.
A brilliant PB opening leg from Sophie Becker had Ireland in first place, with Phil Healy maintaining their strong pace in the second leg.
The Irish team would drop to fourth entering the final leg of the relay, with Kelly McGrory handing over to Sharlene Mawdsley.
Just as she did in spectacular fashion in the European final in June, Mawdsley would click into a different gear coming off the final bend to secure the top three spot Ireland required to earn a place in the final.
Dissecting the race on RTÉ, Irish legend Derval O'Rourke hailed the consistent brilliance of Mawdsley in the anchor leg role, saying the Tipperary woman had gone from strength to strength over the past few years.
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Derval O'Rourke hails Sharlene Mawdsley after mega anchor leg in 4x400m
Rob Heffernan and Derval O'Rourke were particularly impressed with Sophie Becker and Sharlene Mawdsley as Ireland qualified for the women's 4x400m relay final
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Ireland booked their place in the 4x400m final in style on Friday morning, thanks in no small part to Sharlene Mawdsley's mega 49.74 run on the final stint.
Derval O'Rourke was full of praise for Mawdlsey as she and Rob Heffernan analysed the Irish relay team's performance on RTÉ.
O'Rourke said that Mawdsley had developed into a brilliantly "smart" relay runner and that the anchor leg in Paris had displayed exactly what made her such an asset to this Irish team.
That's just right up her alley, this type of race. She slotted in in fourth, so she's got three people to chase.
You can see how she's become such a smart, clever, intuitive relay runner. By that I mean she knows when to pick her time.
Here she knows, 'Stay patient, we don't need to go too soon.' She's backing herself for when she gets in striking distance. She doesn't want to pass them on a bend because then she'll be running too far so right now she's just staying in a comfortable position.
She knows once she gets an opportunity...then she gets her point to strike. She is just extraordinary in that final leg position, she runs it so well.
The past three years of this relay programme, she has grown into such a good last leg runner. That split...you'd imagine there will be very few splits faster than that.
Well said.
In fact, Mawdsley was the only runner in her semi-final to go sub-50 seconds, with the USA's Shamier Little the only runner in the first semi-final to go into the 49s.
After her personal disappointment in the 400m, Mawdsley showed just how important she is in elevating this Irish relay team, something perfectly summed up by Derval O'Rourke.
I think for the whole team, knowing that you just need to give her the baton within striking distance and she'll do a job for you is brilliant, brilliant to see.
The Irish team will take to the track in the 4x400m relay final on Saturday night. It is expected that Rhasidat Adeleke will come into the team for Kelly McGrory, provided she comes through tonight's 400m final unscathed.
The last athletics event of this Olympics, the relay final gets underway on Saturday at 8:14pm Irish time.
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