LAST UPDATE | 7 Jun

Here's how Ireland won a truly magnificent gold at the European Athletics Championships. A superb performance from Chris O'Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr & Sharlene Mawdsley 🥇☘️☘️☘️ #RTEsport pic.twitter.com/UecAR2znpZ

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 7, 2024

IRELAND’S 4x400M MIXED relay team have stormed to a gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Rome.

Chris O’Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley clocked a time of 3:09.92 after a blistering run at the Stadio Olimpico.

It’s a new national record, championship record, and just over a second outside the world record.

Italy finished second in 3:10.69, while Netherlands were third in 3:10.73.

From Lane 7, O’Donnell made a solid start, before Adeleke powered into the lead with a huge leg. Her split was 49.53.

Barr was overtaken by the Belgian athlete on the third leg, but the Waterford man dug deep at his sixth European Championships to run 44.90.

And Mawdsley stormed to victory with a sensational split of 49.40, separating herself from the Belgian, Italian and Netherlands teams — with Dutchwoman Femke Bol running the fastest female leg behind her and Adeleke — to secure a famous gold medal.

SPEED OF THE IRISH! 🍀

A lightening run by the Irish quartet win GOLD in the 4x400m mixed relay! 🌟

#Roma2024 #TrackAndField #MixedRelay pic.twitter.com/GYGZGNHJda

— Eurovision Sport (@EurovisionSport) June 7, 2024

It’s a first European Athletics Championships gold medal for Ireland since Sonia O’Sullivan in 1998 (5,000m and 10,000m) — and second ever.

USA hold the 4x400m mixed relay world record of 3.08.80.

“Everything we dream of. We won the European Championships!” the Irish team reflected afterwards. You can read the full interview with David Gillick for RTÉ here.

Earlier this evening, Israel Olatunde booked his place in tomorrow’s 100m semi-final with a season’s best time of 10.31. He qualified as the eighth fastest overall and bids to make back-to-back European Championship finals tomorrow evening.

Eric Favors posted a best of 19.60m in the men’s shot put, which was just two places off progressing to tomorrow’s final, and Jodie McCann clocked a new persona best of 15:29.25 to finish 17th in the 5000m on her senior championship debut.

This morning, Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy advanced to the 1500m finals but Mark English didn’t go through in the 800m.

Written by Emma Duffy. The Journal publishes the biggest breaking news in Irish and international sport but for all of The 42′s insightful analysis and sharp sportswriting, subscribe here.