4x400m relay team make world indoor final, Lavin advances with PB

The women's 4x400m relay team set a new national record of 3:28.45 as they progressed to tonight’s final.

The team of Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, Róisín Harrison and Sharlene Mawdsley finished fourth in their heat, with the top two from both heats, along with the two fastest qualifiers, advancing.

It meant an anxious wait for the second heat, but with Czech Republic posting a time of 3:28.57 in finishing third in the second heat, it meant Ireland squeezed through by 0.12 of a second.

Mawdsley put the disappointment over her 400m disqualification behind her in some style as she was the fastest of the 16 competitors in action (50.48), her powerful final leg eclipsing the time of Netherland’s world record holder Femke Bol (50.89), who was first across the finish line.

Healy made a powerful start for Ireland (51.93), handing over to Becker in first place. Jesse Wright of the USA closed the gap and edged past on the back straight.

Harrison was third up for Ireland and while she slipped to fourth by the handover, she didn’t tie up and kept her form right to the handover.

Mawdsley had significant ground to make up, but made major inroads to post the fastest split of the heat.

Bol stormed to the front on the backstraight as Netherlands won in a season’s best of 3:27.70, just ahead of USA, with Belgium also setting a national record in third with a time 3:28.07

It meant an anxious wait for the second heat, where Great Britain held off the challenge of Jamaica. With Czech Republic crossing in 3:28.57 – a season’s best – it meant Ireland squeezed through.

The final will take place at 8.30pm tonight.

Sarah Lavin set a new personal best in powering her way to the semi-finals of the 60m hurdles at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in