Sharlene Mawdsley grabs impressive victory on return from injury

Sharlene Mawdsley's time in Rovereto was just over half a second down on the PB of 50.06 she ran in Paris in June.

Sharlene Mawdsley made a hugely impressive return from injury to take victory over 400m at the Palio Città della Quercia meeting in Rovereto, Italy on Tuesday evening, the Tipperary sprinter clocking 50.58.

That brought her home ahead of Britain’s Charlotte Henrich (50.70) and USA’s Paris Peoples (51.19), with Mawdsley passing Henrich with 80 metres left and holding her form brilliantly to claim victory at the Continental Tour Silver meeting.

It was Mawdsley’s first race since tearing her hamstring during the 200m at the nationals in Santry just over six weeks ago, an injury that cost her a medal chance at last month’s European Championships in Birmingham.

Her time in Rovereto was just over half a second down on the PB of 50.06 she ran in Paris in June. She will be back in action in Budapest on Friday evening, running the 400m semi-finals at the inaugural edition of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.

Mawdsley is ranked 13th of 16 competitors in the women’s 400m and she will be joined in Budapest by Mark English (800m) and Rhasidat Adeleke (200m).

Sarah Healy and Sophie O’Sullivan were in action over 1500m in Rovereto, with Healy the better of them, the Dubliner finishing fourth in 4:02.72 with O’Sullivan 11th in 4:06.80. Victory went to Italian star Nadia Battocletti, who produced another big kick to win in 3:59.49.

Brian Fay and Darragh McElhinney were in action over 3000m but both had the look of athletes running on tired legs late in the season, with McElhinney 16th in 7:49.97 and Fay 19th in 7:57.48 – victory going to Kenya’s Franklin Kibet in 7:36.53.

Bori Akinola came home sixth in the B final of the men’s 100m, the UCD athlete clocking 10.40 (0.7m/s), while Irish record holder Eric Favors finished eighth in the shot put, launching a best of 19.67m.