Ireland's women's 4x400m relay team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley have secured a silver medal at the European Championships in a new Irish record time of three minutes 22.71 seconds.
The Netherlands were favourites to claim gold, ahead of Ireland and Poland, and duly obliged in a leading European time this year of 3:22.39.
However, Poland disappointed and laboured to a sixth-place finish, with Belgium rounding off the podium places in 3:22.95.
Back in fourth, Italy established a new national record of their own of 3:23.40.
Ireland's women's 4x400m relay team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley have secured a silver medal at the European Championships in a new Irish record time of 3:22.71. pic.twitter.com/6jTiX7zJok
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 12, 2024
In-form Ireland's previous national record of 3:24.38 was achieved at the World Relays in the Bahamas last month, while the team advanced to the final in Rome by winning their heat in 3:24.81, which was the fastest of the two heats, and the second-fastest time ever clocked by an Irish quartet.
Becker was fast out of the blocks and recorded a split of 52.00, but Lieke Klaver ensured the Netherlands led at the first changeover.
Adeleke (49.36) received the baton for Ireland's second leg, making inroads into the Dutch advantage almost immediately and assuming the lead before her changeover to Healy (51.51) for the penultimate leg.
Lisanne de Witte whittled away at the Irish lead and the Netherlands were at the head of affairs as Mawdsley (49.84) took off for the anchor leg.
It briefly looked as if the Newport AC woman had a chance of overhauling Bol, but the 400m hurdles gold medallist and the Dutch were not to be denied.
"It's amazing, I’m absolutely beyond exhausted at this point," Mawdsley admitted in the team's post-race interview with RTÉ Sport.
"I was telling myself the whole warm-up that it was just one more lap, but the girls got me through that run.
"I could hear the girls cheering and I thought maybe I had Femke down the home straight, but the legs were a little bit dead today."
Lead-off woman Becker said: I'm speechless! This is everything we've dreamed of.
"The crowd, the Irish cheer when they called us coming in, it's just everything I've dreamed of. "
Adeleke, who picked up her third medal in Rome, said: "It was so exciting. Just to be out there with the girls, I love running the relays because it's such fun.
"We were in the tunnel cracking jokes and just having the best time ever.
"To be able to be out here, regardless of how we did, and then on top of that to make the final and win a medal, it just couldn't be better."
Injury and illness have curtailed the recent career of Healy, who revealed: "I'm not going to lie, I definitely contemplated retiring last summer many, many times.
"I stuck with it and it makes it all worth it for special moments like this.
"I'm definitely the oldest member of this relay team and I remember back to my first senior championships in 2014. That's a long time ago.
"Year after year competing on the national stage, and now my first senior major medal, this is very, very special and makes the last few tough years so worthwhile."
Switzerland's Dominic Lobalu outkicks his rivals to win a slowly run 10,000m at the European Championships. Efrem Gidey finishes best of the Irish in 12th, with Brian Fay 20th, Barry Keane 21st, Peter Lynch 22nd and Cormac Dalton 24th. pic.twitter.com/U6lb0pHzce
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 12, 2024
Efrem Gidey went into the 10,000m as the leading Irish contender after he recorded a personal best of 27:40.02 in London last month.
However, despite finishing best of his compatriots, the 23-year-old proved no match for Dominic Lobalu of Switzerland, who prevailed in 28:00.32 from France's Yann Schrub and Thierry Ndikumwenayo of Spain.
Gidey crossed the line in 12th in 28:16.94. Brian Fay was 20th, Barry Keane finished 21st, Peter Lynch was 22nd and Cormac Dalton recorded a 24th-place finish.
Norway's Jakob Ingebrigsten wins the 1500m at the European Championships in a canter, setting a championship record of 3:31.95. Ireland's Andrew Coscoran finishes 13th in the final. pic.twitter.com/CtC0DjjDWm
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 12, 2024
Anything but a win for Jakob Ingebrigsten in the final of the 1500m would have constituted a massive shock.
The Norwegian is the reigning Olympic and European champion over the distance and cantered to victory in a championship record of 3:31.95.
A personal best saw Belgium's Jochem Vermeulen claim silver, with Italy’s Pietro Arese snatching third.
Andrew Coscoran never threatened to land a blow and the 27-year-old from Balbriggan clocked 3:34.76 back in 13th place.
