'I never want to go through that again': Sharlene Mawdsley reflects on injury ordeal
Sharlene Mawdsley finished seventh in her 400m semi-final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Pic: David Ramos/Getty Images
It might not have been all she envisioned, but to be back racing the world’s best, less than seven weeks after a severe grade 2C tear in her hamstring tendon, was in many ways a triumph for Sharlene Mawdsley.
The Tipperary native was the sole Irish competitor on day one of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Friday, finishing seventh in her 400m semi-final in 51.28 – a race won by Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino in 49.58.
With only the top four advancing, it brought Mawdsley’s championship – and likely her season – to a close. She had made a hugely impressive return from injury to win in Rovereto, Italy on Tuesday, clocking 50.58, not far off her season’s best of 50.06 from Paris in June.
But she believed that race three days ago might have taken a slight edge off her performance here, with the cool, damp, windy conditions also not conducive to fast times.
“It was hard,” she said. “I tried to put the fact that I've been so injured for so long out of my head because obviously I've had minimal training. The race on Tuesday gave me a lot of confidence, I just felt every metre of that today.”
Mawdsley had put herself through a “nine-to-five” programme of rehab and cross-training in the weeks after sustaining the hamstring injury at nationals, hoping to make it back in time for the Europeans in Birmingham, but she was forced to withdraw just three days out from the event.
“It just kind of went again and then I had another setback, which was really annoying,” she said. “I was pretty devastated when it happened. I never want to go through that again. So even though that isn't a performance to be proud of, I'm honestly so relieved to finish the season injury-free. That just gives me a lot of confidence for next year.”
Mark English is the sole Irish athlete in action on Saturday in Budapest, the European champion facing a tough assignment in his semi-final of the 800m, where he will take on Olympic and world medallists Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati along with Britain’s Max Burgin. The top four will advance to Sunday’s final.
Rhasidat Adeleke will line up for the 200m semi-finals on Sunday evening, the final scheduled two hours later, and the Dubliner is hopeful of a big run after winning European silver last month.
“I want to enjoy it but, at the same time, I really do want to do really well here,” she said. “And once I step on the track, you know it is game time. I know I am not here for fun, I am here to achieve and excel.”
The signs for the future of the event were promising on day one in Budapest, with a sold-out stadium greeting the world’s best athletes, who are contesting 28 disciplines across the weekend, competing for a record prize pool of $10 million, with $150,000 for each individual champion.
5.34pm: Mark English, men’s 800m semi-final
6.41pm: *Mark English, men’s 800m final
5:44pm: Rhasidat Adeleke, women’s 200m semi-final; 7.49pm: *200m final *Pending qualification
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
