THERE WAS DISAPPOINTMENT for the Irish team in the Mixed 4x400m relay as they failed to reach the Olympic final at the Stade de France today.
The team of Chris O’Donnell, Sophie Becker, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley finished their heat fifth, in a time of 3:12.67.
The heat was won by Great Britain at 3:10.61, followed by the Netherlands (3:10.81) and Italy (3:11.59).
In heat one, the US, France, Belgium, Jamaica and Poland all qualified for tomorrow evening’s final.
O’Donnell was first out for Ireland, running his leg in 45.99. Becker followed with a 51.37 leg before Barr clocked 45.25. Mawdsley then finished strong with 50.06, but it wasn’t enough for Ireland to advance from a stacked field.
“I was happy enough, first leg is all about giving us the best position possible and I just wanted to put us in the mix,” O’Donnell told RTÉ.
We gave it absolutely everything and we came off this track knowing we gave it our all.”
“You kind of forget no heat is easy because it’s the Olympics,” Becker added.
“I think it’s credit to the team and what we’ve built over the last three years that we’re disappointed not to make and Olympic final. Not to say we take it for granted but we know that’s where we belong. The standard is just through the roof. Even compared to Tokyo, it’s just bigger and bigger and harder and harder every year.”
“Looking at all of us running in the team there today, you can’t really pick apart where anything went wrong,” Barr added.
“We did everything we possibly could and before this season, that’s a record-breaking team.
“We are disappointed, we were aiming for that final and I think we’re definitely good enough to be there, which our results have shown this year, but it’s just that on the day it didn’t come together. Every team stepped up, it is the Olympics, but we just fell short today. But it’s a performance and a year of performances that we can be extremely proud of.”
“I said to the guys today, get that baton around because I want to call myself an Olympian, and I did that today,” said Mawdsley.
“I’m proud of this team and the guys back in the warm-up area.”
Earlier, Ireland’s Jodie McCann failed to progress from the heats of the Women’s 5,000m.
The Dublin City Harriers athlete finished 20th in her heat, crossing in 15:55.08.
The first eight from each heat advanced to the final.
Beatrice Chebet of Kenya won the heat in 15:00.73, while Friday’s first heat was won by Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon in 14:57.56.
“Mixed emotions,” McCann told RTÉ.
“I thought the race was going to go a bit slower, but it was setting out fast at the beginning and I was looking at the clock like ok, it was faster than my PB pace, so I just had to be a bit careful.
“It’s a bit tough coming into a race like this where most girls’ PB is like 40 seconds faster than you, so it’s kind of all experience and learning for going forward.
“To get as far as I have, I’ve been racing all year, it’s been a really long one, I’m just really proud of what I’ve achieved and looking forward to the future.
“It’s obviously amazing to be here but my head is already looking towards to next year, trying to make World Champs and how I can keep getting better all the time.”
Earlier, Cathal Doyle, Luke McCann and Andrew Coscoran all failed to progress directly in the 1500m heats. A repechage has been introduced at these Olympic Games, so all three athletes will get another chance in Paris.
In the Men’s Shot Put, Eric Favors finished 27th on his Olympic debut, throwing a best of 19.02m, which was not enough to see him advance to Saturday’s final.
Favors later revealed to RTÉ that he had torn a pec muscle last week, and was also battling a tight hamstring today.
