Mawdsley impresses in winning National Indoor 400m title

By Shane Brophy

Sharlene Mawdsley started the 2024 season as she ended 2023 as a national champion.

The Newport Athletic Club athlete put in a stunning performance to win gold in the 400m in 52.04 seconds at the National Indoor Championships in Dublin on Sunday, adding to the outdoor 400m title won in 2023.

Sharlene led the race right from the gun, coming home a convincing winner ahead of Sophie Backer and Roisin Harrison to book her place at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in both the individual and women's 4×400m relay, which take place in Glasgow from March 1st to 3rd.

“I wanted to get to the break first and get out as fast as I could,” she said of her performance.

“I’m happy with the performance and the win was the goal this weekend. I’m in better form than I probably produced today so I’ll try get in another race in the next week and see how it goes. I’ll be taking it one competition at a time, so we’ll see what the year brings”.

There was future local medal success in the form of Moyne AC’s Katie Bergin who won silver in a very competitive 200m.

After the recent successes at Under 23, AI Games and Intervarsity’s Championships it was time to take on the elite of Irish female athletics. Olympian Phil Healy set the standard in heat one running 23.59s, a heat which also contained Newport AC’s Sophie Walker who gave an excellent account of herself, finishing third. This was a great experience for an athlete who is only under 18.

Katie Bergin lined out in lane six in heat two and had to clock a PB of 24.33s and she recorded the second fastest time of the eight heats which guaranteed her lane five in the final. She came out of the blocks hard and managed to stay in good contact with Phil Healy for 150m before Healy's years of 400m endurance gave her the edge entering the final straight winning with Bergin crossed the line in second place with another PB of 24.26s, improving from the bronze medal in 2023.

Breaking the 24 second barrier for Katie is now a real possibility, training under the guidance of The Cork Speed Development Group which is paying huge dividends.

Nenagh Olympics’ Laura Frawley continued her impressive form, winning the silver medal in the 28-lb weight for throw. Her throw of 6.97m, exceeded the previous championship record of 6.78m. She also competed in the long jump where she finished fourth with a jump of 5.62m,

In the men’s weight for throw, Templemore AC’s John Dwyer also won a silver medal with a throw of 7.37, finishing behind Leevale’s Michael Healy who set a championship record of 8.86m. Moycarkey/Coolcroo’s David Ryan also won silver in the 400m behind Cillin Greene of Galway City Harriers, while clubmate Anna Ryan also won silver in the Triple Jump with 12.10m.

Other Nenagh Olympic competitors were Joe Miniter in the long jump where he finished fifth with a jump of 6.85m, just shy of his PB. Ava Rochford had a seasons-best of 1.73m to finish sixth. Aaron Malik’s vault of 3.80m secured ninth position.

On the track, Padraig Hassett, with a run of 21.99, just missed out on a place in the final of the 200m, while Jack Hicky ran 23.61 to finish second in his heat. In the 800m, Daire O’Donnell ran a PB of 1.54.10 to finish third in his heat, while Jennifer O’Leary finished fourth in her 800m heat with a time of 2.14.32.

Nenagh Olympic also had three athletes in the first heat of the 3000m; James Tanner finished in a time of 8.37.09, Luke Purcell in 8.51.99 and Diarmuid Moloney in 9.14.53. Ronan Ryan's time of 7.16 secured him a place in the semi-finals of the 60m, while Jack Hickey finished fourth in his heat with a time of 7.40.

Elsewhere, Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC), trained by Nenagh’s Noelle Morrissey, was the standout performer on day 1 of the National Senior Indoor Championships on Saturday in securing her sixth indoor 60m hurdles title with a stunning 7.91 (=PB) continuing her remarkable run of consistent performances.