European Championships: High hopes of more Irish success

Ireland have already won two gold medals in Rome – in the 4x400m mixed relay and then Ciara Mageean in the women’s 1500m

There will be high hopes of more Irish success in tonight’s women’s 400m final, where Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley, part of the winning mixed relay quartet, will be in action.

Adeleke, whose personal best of 49.20 seconds marks her out as one of the gold-medal favorites and a genuine Olympic contender, cruised into the final by winning her heat in 50.54 as she was 0.19 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Laviai Nielsen.

Mawdsley reached the decider by clocking 50.99 – her second best ever time – as she took second spot 0.42 seconds behind Dutch athlete Lieke Klaver.