Sharlene Mawdsley withdraws from European Championships due to injury

The Tipperary sprinter made the difficult decision following consultation with her support team.

A distraught Sharlene Mawdsley after pulling up injured. Pic: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Sharlene Mawdsley has been forced to withdraw from next week’s European Championships in Birmingham due to a hamstring injury.

Mawdsley pulled up around 60 metres into the women’s 200m final at the Irish Nationals in Santry in late July before walking off the track visibly upset.

The Tipperary sprinter was selected for the women’s 400m and women’s 4x400m and despite noting she was "doing everything possible" to make the Birmingham meet, she made the difficult decision following consultation with her support team.

“I’m so sad to say that I won’t be making the start line at the European Championships next week," Mawdsley said. “We made huge progress after I was diagnosed with a tear in my hamstring, but unfortunately the timing just wasn’t on my side.

“I can’t thank my team enough. They have worked around the clock to give me every possible chance, and we really pushed the limits together. 

"To Martina McCarthy, Paul Carragher and Athletics Ireland, thank you for all your support, and to Michael Breen for being my training partner these last two weeks.

“We’ll keep working hard, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the track later this season.

“Down, not out.”

The Europeans begin on August 10 with the women’s 400m heats on August 12.