After the highs of the European Championships earlier this year, there was disappointment for Ireland's relay runners on Friday evening as the mixed 4x400m team were eliminated at the first hurdle at the Paris Olympics.
The understandable decision of Rhasidat Adeleke to forego the relay events in order to focus on the 400m hampered the strength of the Irish team coming into the event, though they would still put in a valiant effort in Friday's heat.
Their time of 3:12.67 was enough for fifth in their semi-final but, ultimately, it was not enough to secure them a place as one of the two fastest non-qualifiers.
The quartet of Sophie Becker, Chris O'Donnell, Thomas Barr, and Sharlene Mawdsley were proud of their efforts despite their disappointment immediately after the heat.
Despite their appreciation for how much Irish sprinting has developed over the past few years, RTÉ pundits Rob Heffernan and Sonia O'Sullivan were nonetheless quick to point out that the Olympics marked a "massive reality check" for the level of Ireland's 400m runners.
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O'Sullivan and Heffernan react to 4x400m disappointment for Ireland
2 August 2024; Sophie Becker of Team Ireland prepares to take the baton from Chris O’Donnell of Team Ireland during the 4x400m mixed relay round 1 at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Speaking on RTÉ immediately after Ireland's exit from the mixed 4x400m relay, Sonia O'Sullivan said that the depth was not yet there for Ireland to truly position themselves as a global power at 400m.
It's a massive reality check for the level of 400m running in Ireland. We're at a high level but we're not at a really high level. We don't have the depth and the quality to be able to have a strong enough team to qualify.
The fact is that Rhasidat's never going to be available to run in the heats so we need to have better athletes to replace her.
Just like the Dutch didn't have Femke Bol, there's every chance she will come and run in the final even though her heats in the 400m hurdles are on the next morning.
I think you have to play with the numbers and see what you need to do. We need men who can run 44 seconds. If they're running 45 seconds, we need them running 44 in the relay.
You need the quality and the depth in that quality to really boost the relay team so you're not going in there hoping to get to the final but knowing to get to the final.
Though both Heffernan and O'Sullivan were full of praise for the Irish runners and their previous efforts this year, they also made clear that the Olympics marked a significant step-up.
Much was made of Rhasidat Adeleke's decision to step aside from the mixed relay team, a move O'Sullivan herself backed during the morning session of athletics from Paris.
Both of the Corkonians on punditry duty would once again back Adeleke after the evening relay, with both suggesting that creating a dependence on the youngster was a dangerous game.
Heffernan: The Olympics are just different. The lads ran well. They didn't do a massive super, super performance but they did okay.
You might be okay [with Adeleke] but then you're throwing band-aids on stuff. Rhasidat's a special, special talent, you have to be careful, you have to look beneath the surface.
Adeleke: [Adeleke] might get you in but even then you're not going to be maybe top five or top six [in the final].
It's a relay team, it's four people. You can't depend on one person to get you across the line every time. The opportunity is out there for athletes to lift their game and be a part of this team.
It has been a wonderful year for Irish sprinting and there is still plenty of running to be done at these Olympics.
Nonetheless, the Ireland relay team will undoubtedly be disappointed this Friday evening in the Stade de France.
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