Irish mixed relay team finish sixth in world final

The performance improved on their eighth-place finish at both the Tokyo Olympics and at last year’s World Championships.

UPWARD CURVE: Sophie Becker, Chris O’Donnell, Jack Raftery and Sharlene Mawdsley after competing in the mixed 4x400m relay during day one of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The Irish mixed 4x400m team of Jack Raftery, Sophie Becker, Chris O’Donnell and Sharlene Mawdsley finished sixth in the world final in Budapest tonight, clocking 3:14.13. The race was won in dramatic fashion by USA, who overhauled The Netherlands in the final metres, Dutch star Femke Bol falling just before the line, dropping the baton and missing out on silver as a result.

The Irish performance improved on their eighth-place finish at both the Tokyo Olympics and at last year’s World Championships. Raftery led them off with a 45.89-second split, handing over to his training partner, Becker, who clocked 52.52. A 45.70 leg by O’Donnell saw Mawdsley take the baton towards the back of the field, but as it had been in the heats this morning, the Newport sprinter produced a magnificent anchor leg – the second fastest of any woman – with a 50.02 to bring her nation home sixth.