Guangzhou in China is the venue this weekend (May 10th and 11th) as Ireland aim to qualify their three 4x400m relay teams for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Irish mixed, women’s and men’s 4x400m teams will compete at the World Athletics Relays at the Tianhe Stadium where the top fourteen teams will advance to Tokyo.
On Day One of the competition eight teams in each event will seal their spot at the World Championships, with the top two in each heat qualifying and advancing to the final on Day Two.
The remaining teams will go into the ‘World Championship Qualifying Round Two’ on the second day of competition where again the top two teams in each of the three heats secure a ticket to Tokyo.
Finishing positions in the finals will help to determine seedings at the World Championships, while teams will also compete for prize money.
Ireland go into these championships having had plenty of success in 4x400m relays in recent years. At last year’s edition of this event in the Bahamas, the Irish Mixed team won bronze, before winning gold at the European Athletics Championships in Rome a week later.
The women’s 4x400m relay have also performed exceptionally in the last twelve months winning silver at the European Championships and then finishing an agonising fourth at the Olympic Games in Paris last August, clocking a national record of 3:19.90.
All four athletes from that team are set to be back in the Irish vest this weekend.
Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) has shown good early season form over 200m, finishing second at the Diamond League meeting in Keqiao, China last weekend. The 22-year-old is named in both the women’s and mixed relay squads.
Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) has also been an integral part of Ireland’s relay success over the last couple of years, starring on the anchor leg. She will hope to have a strong return from injury this weekend on both the women’s and mixed teams.
Two-time Olympians Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Phil Healy (Bandon AC) need no introduction and will both be keen to play their parts for the team this weekend.
Cillín Greene (Galway City Harriers) boasted the fastest 400m indoor time by an Irish man this year and having won a medal as part of the mixed 4x400m team last year will look to contribute positively once again. Greene is also in the men’s squad.
Conor Kelly (Finn Valley AC) also had an impressive indoor season breaking the Irish U20 indoor record, winning the national senior title, before claiming a maiden Irish senior vest at the European Athletics Indoor Championships as part of the mixed 4x400m team.
Christopher O’Donnell (North Sligo AC) was part of the gold-medal winning mixed 4x400m team in Rome and the quartet who ran at the Olympic Games. O’Donnell could feature on both the mixed and men’s teams this weekend.
Also named in the women’s and mixed squads are Rachel McCann (North Down AC) and Lauren Cadden (Sligo AC) both of whom bring major senior championship experience to the table, while Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers AC) is a newcomer to senior squad.
Aaron Keane (Tullamore Harriers AC) could also make a senior international debut should he be selected. Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers AC), Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers AC) and Callum Baird (Ballymena and Antrim AC) are also named in both men’s and mixed squads.
