# Sharlene Mawdsley

Sharlene Mawdsley (born 10 August 1998) is an Irish athlete who specialises in the 400 meters and other sprint events.

## Early life

Mawdsley is from Newport, County Tipperary where she attended St. Mary's school.
She is a graduate of sociology from the University of Limerick.
Mawdsley started competing in athletics as a child. Early in her career, she competed primarily in the 200 m and also in the 100 m. She started focusing on the 400 m in 2019.

## Career
### 2021

Mawdsley competed in the 400 m at the 2021 European Indoor Championships in March and did not advance past the heats.
In May, at the 2021 World Relays, she helped the Irish team finish seventh in the mixed 4×400 m relay.

### 2022

Mawdsley competed at the 2022 World Championships in July, helping the Irish team finish eighth in the mixed 4×400 m relay.
In August, she competed at the 2022 European Championships. She did not advance past the heats in the 400 m. In the 4×400 m relay, she helped Ireland finish sixth.

### 2023

Mawdsley competed at the 2023 European Indoor Championships in March. In the 400 m, she advanced to the semifinals. She helped the Irish team finish fifth in the 4×400 m relay.
In August, she competed in the 2023 World Championships 400 m semifinals and finals of both the women's and mixed 4×400 m relays, running six races in total over nine days. She helped Ireland finish eighth in the mixed 4×400 relay and sixth in the 4×400 m relay.

### 2024

Mawdsley competed at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in March. In the 400 m, she initially advanced to the final on merit before being disqualified for obstruction in the semifinals. She then helped the Irish team finish fifth in the 4×400 m relay.
In May, at the 2024 World Relays, Mawdsley helped Ireland win the bronze medal in the mixed 4×400 m relay. It was her first major international medal.
Mawdsley competed at the 2024 European Championships in June. She helped the Irish team win the gold medal in the mixed 4×400 m relay. Running the final leg, she received the baton from teammate Thomas Barr in second place. Mawdsley then passed the leading Belgian Helena Ponette in the home stretch, crossing the line first in an Irish record time of 3:09.92 with the second-fastest female split of the night at 49.40. Mawdsley finished eighth in the 400 m. In the 4×400 m relay, she helped Ireland win the silver medal.
On the 9th of September 2024, Mawdsley ended her season with a victory in the 400m at the Gala dei Castelli meeting in Bellinzona, Switzerland. Clocking a time of 51.35, she finished ahead of Susanne Gogl-Walli with 51.39 and Lieke Klaver with 51.42.

## Achievements
### International competitions

Representing  Ireland :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time |
| 2015 | European Junior Championships | Eskilstuna, Sweden | 8th | 200 m | 24.09 |
| 2015 | European Junior Championships | Eskilstuna, Sweden | 4th | 4 × 100 m relay | 45.38 |
| 2016 | World U20 Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | – (h) | 200 m | DQ |
| 2016 | World U20 Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 5th | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.82 |
| 2017 | European U20 Championships | Grosseto, Italy | 4th (sf) | 200 m | 23.98 |
| 2017 | European U20 Championships | Grosseto, Italy | 4th | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.47 |
| 2019 | European U23 Championships | Gävle, Sweden | 7th | 400 m | 53.57 |
| 2019 | European U23 Championships | Gävle, Sweden | 4th | 4 x 100 m relay | 44.32 |
| 2021 | European Indoor Championships | Toruń, Poland | 5th (h) | 400 m | 53.68 |
| 2021 | World Relays | Chorzów, Poland | 7th | Mixed 4 x 400 m relay | 3:20.26 |
| 2022 | World Indoor Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | 3rd (h) | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:30.97 NR |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 8th | Mixed 4 x 400 m relay | 3:16.86 |
| 2022 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 15th (h) | 400 m | 52.63 |
| 2022 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 6th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:26.63 |
| 2023 | European Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 6th (sf) | 400 m | 53.37 |
| 2023 | European Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 5th | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:32.61 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 6th | Mixed 4 x 400 m relay | 3:14.13 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 22nd (sf) | 400 m | 51.17 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 8th | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:27.08 |
| 2024 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 3rd | Mixed 4 × 400 m relay | 3:11.53 NR |
| 2024 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 7th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:24.38 |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 1st | Mixed 4 × 400 m relay | 3:09.92 NR CR |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 8th | 400 m | 51.58 |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:22.71 NR |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 10th (h) | Mixed 4 x 400 m relay | 3:12.67 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 10th (r) | 400 m | 51.18 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 4th | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:19.90 NR |