Anatomy of golden glory: How Ireland's 4x400m relay heroes made history in Rome 

Adeleke dragging the Dutch into deep waters. Mawdsley foot-perfect in the finale. Every relay is a team event in the true sense yet in essence, the story of this gold was that one Irishwoman made the race and another won it.

FLOATING ON AIR: Ireland 4x400m relay team, from left, Chris O'Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Sharlene Mawdsley and Thomas Barr celebrate after winning the Mixed 4x400m Relay final during day one of the 2024 European Athletics Championships at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The race was won on the anchor leg, at least on the surface – Sharlene Mawdsley sweeping to victory with a scintillating home-straight surge, the disbelief etched on the Tipperary sprinter’s face telling the story of the sweetest kind of shock.

But the race was also not won on the anchor leg. This gold medal was won long before that. Chisel down into the details of the Irish mixed 4x400m victory at the European Championships in Rome on Friday night and a certain story reveals itself, one that’s not yet been truly told.