The final night of the track and field at Paris 2024 - and an Irish team are part of the concluding act.
The 4x400 women's relay team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley, while not fancied in the view of most observers to take a medal, delivered a performance that was worthy of a place on the podium.
A week ago, hopes were higher that the mixed relay team could be in the mix. They exited at the semi-final stage.
On Friday morning, minus Adeleke and with Kelly McGrory as part of the quartet, the Irish finished third in their heat to qualify: seventh fastest of the eight teams qualified.
Okay, you're in the final and anything can happen. And it did!
The United States took a dominant gold in a continental record of 3:15.27. With that settled, a thriller of sorts was being played out behind. Ireland and Becker were in sixth when the baton was passed to Adeleke. The express train was coming.
Much was said about a certain lack of fluidity in Adeleke's running during her passage to the 400m final. No such question hung over her leg as the decibel levels in the stadium ratcheted up. From sixth to second. We're right in this after a 48.92 from the Tallaght woman.
Healy then gamely held her ground before passing to Mawdsley.
The Tipperary native, celebrating her 26th birthday. was third approaching the final bend but was agonisingly pipped to the bronze medal place on the line by Great Britain, who clocked a national record of 3:19.72 - a mark that was 0.18 seconds better than Ireland's. Femke Bol drove home to ensure second spot for the Netherlands.
Post-race reaction just after the final
Time to take a breath. So close. Irish record broken, that is something, but disappointment was clearly etched on the faces of those who had performed with great distinction. Sometimes we over inflate things, but that relay run was an exceptional effort by the quartet. Mawdsley was the most cut up about; Healy, while obviously shattered, took a more philosophical view when the team met the media afterwards.
Voices in the huddle were saying "you're as well finishing sixth than fourth". But this was an honourable, gutsy fourth.
A half an hour or so after the race and Mawdsley, with tears flowing, was replaying the race, no doubt hoping that finishing line would have come sooner.
"We wanted that medal so bad and I feel that I fell short because you run the last leg," she said.
"And there's been so many days when I've been placed for my last leg but today it just didn't go my way and that's how the game goes.
"I'm sure I ran fast but it just wasn't enough so yeah, it's heart-breaking, but again if you had told us last year that we would come fourth at the Olympics, I wouldn't have believed anyone."
An arm around the shoulder for the birthday girl; another bottle of water given to her. Regret and frustration the essence of her thinking for now. But time will heal.
You can see it on our faces, our mascara is all over the place. We've all had a bit of a cry
Becker accentuated the positives on the night of the near-miss.
"Yeah, we're absolutely devastated. I think in a few days' time it's not going to hurt as much, we're world class, like.
"We knew if we ran a national record we'd be in the mix, 3.19, I don't think any of us believed we would run 3.19, that's just absolutely phenomenal.
"Yeah, as I said, I think in the next few days it won't hurt as much, someone has to be fourth, it's us today. It won't be us next time.
"I'm so proud of us, we literally left it all on the track. I don't think 3.19 was ever on the cards for us and now that we've run it, why can't we go faster? I think the girls summed it up. You can see it on our faces, our mascara is all over the place. We’ve all had a bit of a cry. Thank you all for the support. We belong here that’s for sure."
For Adeleke, another fourth-placed finish. And while we hope that she herself can step on to the podium in future Olympics, the relay event is where, she feels, Ireland can be strong at going forward.
"I feel mixed emotions. I'm really, really proud of the team for us to even be in an Olympic final and to come fourth. I think fourth place is obviously the worst place to come. It's just so close to a medal but if you had told us that we'd be coming fourth at the Olympic Games last year, we'd be so delighted.
"But it's because we're here now, and we're such competitors. And we know we have so much to give, but that was an amazing performance. I'm so proud of them. So, proud of us even being here at this point. And I think we're really going to be a threat in years to come."
And Healy echoed that hope, when saying: "ach the girls performed phenomenally. I know Sharlene is hard on herself but we saw her split already and that's probably her fastest ever leg – and it’s her birthday. To come away from an Olympic final on your birthday and do that.
"Just a special mention for every member of the team that has played their part in this squad. It’s constantly changing. To qualify the team for major championships, the coaches, families, everyone who has played their part.
"We’ve now gone to European finals, won medals, world finals and now fourth in the Olympic Games. So look, this team can go to new heights. We know what we’re capable of. If you rewind to last year, the girls got to the world final and people didn’t think we’d get there. They did and we performed out our skin every single year and the sky’s the limit for this team."
Last night's effort won't be forgotten and thankfully the pain of missing out will subside.
A World Championship to come in Tokyo next year; A Europeans in Birmingham after that. There is much to look forward to. Tiny margins, more than likely, will still decide who gets the medals. But that's the thrill of it.
Paris 2024 ended with a thriller on the track. More of that please, with hopefully less pain going forward.
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