Athletics
Irish Women’s 4x400m Team Qualify for 2027 World Athletics Championships
The Irish Women’s 4x400m relay team produced a hugely impressive performance on Day Two of the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, securing qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
The quartet of Rachel McCann (North Down AC), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC), Arlene Crossan (Finn Valley AC) and Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) combined superbly to win their qualification heat in 3:23.83, their fastest time since 2024.
Victory in the heat guaranteed their place at the World Championships, which will take place in September 2027, and underlined the growing depth and consistency within Irish women’s sprinting.
Speaking after the race, Sophie Becker highlighted the belief within the squad:
“We’re absolutely chuffed. Sharlene and I crunched the numbers last night and we figured that if we all did what we did yesterday we’d run 3:23, which we did. I’m delighted and so proud – it really shows the depth we’re building in Ireland.”
Sharlene Mawdsley echoed those sentiments, praising the wider relay programme:
“I’m so proud of the mixed and women’s teams this weekend. We’ve delivered performances to be proud of. We literally picked our team at 11am this morning, we didn’t even know which relay we were going to run – I’m absolutely thrilled.”
Equestrian
Ireland Finish Third in Longines EEF Nations Cup at Mannheim
Ireland’s strong run of form in Nations Cup competition continued with another podium finish at the Longines EEF Nations Cup in Mannheim, where the team secured third place.
Under the guidance of team manager Jessica Kürten, the Irish quartet of Matt Garrigan (Grace V), Max Wachman (Tipperary), Lt Michaeli Byrne (MSH Claregalway) and Niall Talbot (Charming Dream Z) delivered a composed and resilient performance across both rounds.
Ireland completed the competition on a total of four faults, producing a perfect second round to apply pressure to their rivals. They were narrowly denied second place by Belgium on time, while hosts Germany finished as the only team on a zero score.
Standout performances included double clears from Lt Byrne and Wachman, with Garrigan also faultless second time out, underlining Ireland’s consistency at this level.
Squash
Ireland Complete Gold Double at European Team Championships
Ireland enjoyed a superb week at the European Team Championships in Amsterdam, securing a gold double as both the men’s and women’s teams claimed Division 2 titles.
Saturday’s finals capped four days of consistent performances, with the men’s team defeating Israel 4–0 and the women’s team overcoming Hungary 2–0, sealing promotion back to Division 1 for both squads.
The top-seeded men’s team of Sam Buckley, Conor Moran, Oisín Logan, Michael Creaven and Sean Conroy dominated Pool A with three 4–0 victories over Slovakia, Norway and Austria. A further 4–0 semi-final win against Sweden confirmed promotion before an emphatic title victory against Israel.
Meanwhile, the women’s team of Hannah Craig, Breanne Flynn, Aimee McConnell and Lydia McQuillan were equally impressive. After progressing from a competitive pool, they defeated Portugal 2–0 in the semi-final to secure promotion to Division 1 for the first time since 2016. The title was clinched soon after, with Flynn and Craig both recording 3–0 wins against Hungary.
The victories mark a significant milestone, particularly for the women’s team, who complete a rapid rise following their Division 3 title success in 2024.
