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LAST UPDATE | 2 Mar 2024
ON A DRAMATIC day of racing at the world indoor championships in Glasgow yesterday, Ireland’s Sharlene Mawdsley appeared to secure her place in the final of the 400m, only for the Tipperary native to be later disqualified following an appeal from Austrian runner Susanne Gogl-Walli.
Mawdsley finished third in her semi-final heat, telling Virgin Media that she was “absolutely ecstatic” to book her place in tomorrow’s final.
The 25-year-old found herself in fourth place approaching the home strait before a strong finish pushed the Tipperary native into third, finishing with a time of 52.16.
However, Austria’s Gogl-Walli, who finished fourth, appealed the result based on an apparent infringement by Mawdsley on the final turn.
That appeal was successful, with Mawdsley adjudged to have cut in on the Austrian’s line without first being a stride clear.
Gogl-Walli was promoted to third and Mawdsley lost her place in the final.
The Irish athlete’s counter-appeal against her DQ was unsuccessful.
Again, still seems like a very harsh decision pic.twitter.com/agsX0mz3Ed
— John (@dafneflippers) March 1, 2024
The devastating development was the latest twist on a remarkable day of action in Scotland. Earlier Mawdsley has reached this evening’s semi-finals after a dramatic heat, in which she finished in a three-way tie for second place to earn an automatic qualification position.
Mawdsley ran in the third heat, which was won by American Talitha Diggs in 52.17. Mawdsley finished strongly to force her way through a gap either side of challengers Amandine Brossier (France), and Henriette Jaeger (Norway).
Incredibly, the trio could not be separated, and after a lengthy wait, all three were deemed to have tied for second place, in a time of 52.23. All three were therefore sent through to the semi-finals as automatic qualifiers.
Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands was the fastest qualifier across all four heats, finishing in 51.31. Her compatriot Femke Bol cruised to victory in the fourth and final heat, in a time of 52.00.
Klaver then ran in the same semi-final as Mawdsley, with the Dutch athlete receiving a warning for a false start before the race restarted.
Klaver won the race in 51.18 with Diggs second at 51.28 and Mawdsley third before the later appeal moved her out of the qualifying places.
Bol won the second semi-final (50.66), with the USA’s Alexis Holmes (50.99) and Great Britain’s Laviai Nielsen (51.44) also advancing.
Earlier, a fast start from Israel Olatunde saw him finish fourth in a season’s best time of 6.70 in Heat 3 of the 60m.
The Tallaght AC sprinter finished just outside the automatic qualifying spots, sitting in third position of the non-automatic qualifying places.
Unfortunately, his time was not enough to progress to this evening’s semi-finals.
Elsewhere, a late fall proved costly for Sarah Healy in the 1500m heats.
Healy was pushing for a top three finish before a collision saw the Dubliner tumble on the home straight – her sixth-place finish with a time of 4:18.86 not enough to see her advance.
“I wouldn’t say I ran very smart,” Healy said.
“I felt great and totally in control until the last few metres, but I’ve no idea then what happened. That doesn’t normally happen to me so it’s really disappointing.
“I honestly have no words. It’s quite embarrassing really because it’s just not what I came here to do.”
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Were the people of culture fighting at the boxing championship in castlerea amongst themselves again
@Dan Breen: You spelled ‘white’ wrong.
Mawdsley is an Anglo-Norman name originating from Lancashire.
Hard for intellectual pigmies to grasp but ‘Irishness’ extends a lot further than where you were born.
By your reckoning, am I to take it that you begrudge Phil Lynott & Paul McGrath? I’m sure you were more than happy to cheer them on when swilling your pints and wearing the green jersey.
What about Shane McGowan – you know that lad who was born in England and sang a load of songs about how poorly immigrants were treated abroad, how they turned to drink and drugs and sleeping rough on the Streets because society saw them as second class. I bet you’re happy to idolise the Pogues as being ‘true irishness’ whilst carrying on with the kind of actions that they would have disowned you for.
Are you actually capable of any spec of rational, critical, independent thinking at all or has your bitterness with your life and your fear of insignificance left you that open to being manipulated into blindly following whatever it is your online puppeteers are feeding you.
Read. Learn. Grow up.
@Wombleman: he’s not worth a response!
@Richard Toomey: I reported him so hopefully a good hefty ban is coming his way. I see the comment was taken down.
Overall, a frustrating & disappointing evening on the track. Can’t begrudge the Austrian lady winning her appeal & ‘taking’ Sharlene’s place….frustrating but it is what it is. Its best to get any hiccups/ kinks sorted now before Olympics in Paris. Really think this is going to be a great year for Ireland in France– we have some brilliant athletes competing & best of luck to them.
Tough decision especially as she probably had the pace to finish ahead even without stepping across. Looking at it without bias it was probably the correct decision.
@John K: 100% John, disappointing as it is the correct ‘call’ was made, Sharlene definitely faster than the Austrian lady but ‘c’est la vie’
@John K: she’d have kept her place if it was horse racing
Omg wow. Puts things into perspective! Innocent families children been murdered in Israel’s conflict. Shame on Israel, Jesus weeps . I am not anti semitic, I am calling it out as it is . Murder and modern day ethnic cleansing. U think Jewish would learn from Hitler,l!. Families fearful for their lives worrying what’s going to happen. Shame on Israel, a country I admired, now putting ur historic moment against innocent people. Israel stop please. How about love and peace. War is not what Jesus wanted … not this. Imagine what would happen if everyone just say, SORRY. Let’s move on together ,
@Brian O’Connor: Who’s jesus?
@Alan Kennedy: Google it.
@Alan Kennedy: Plays for Arsenal. Having a decent season this year.
@Sal Paradise: Ah yes, that lad! Not as good as Mohammed!
Palestine now formally recognised in my Heart and forgiveness to Israel as always in my heart too ❤️ PEACE TOGETHER
@Brian O’Connor: forgiveness to Israel?
That’s nice of you, but I wouldn’t think the Palestinian people feel the same way after watching there children blown to pieces,
whatever happened to ‘never again’?
It’s absolutely disgusting what’s going on over there!
That ***ing ridiculous
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