Mawdsley: We went out with aim of beating French

The Irish women's relay team's eighth place in the 4x400m final capped off a fine week for Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker, the pair hailing it as a week to remember.

With Rhasidat Adeleke ruled out over injury concerns, the experienced pair were joined by championship newcomers Kelly McGrory and Roisin Harrison.

Having upset the odds to qualify for the final with a season's best time of 3:26.18 on Saturday evening - albeit aided by the United States' baton changeover disaster on the final lap - the Irish team finished eighth in the nine-strong final, with Mawdsley speeding by the French anchor on the final bend.

"We went out there with the aim of beating the French," Mawdsley told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen afterwards.

"That girl made me work for it. I hate overtaking on the bend and unfortunately that's what I had to do today, which probably cost me a bit of fatigue in the last few metres.

"But I was just pumping my arms until I got to that line.

For Mawdsley in particular, it's been a remarkable week, the Tipperary sprinter emerging as one of the Irish stars, running six 400m races across the mixed relay, her individual 400m and now the women's relay.

She already sixth alongside Becker, Chris O'Donnell and Jack Raftery in the final of the mixed relay, and ran an individual personal best when qualifying from her heat in the 400m.

"I'm so proud of myself, my training worked. That I was able to produce all those runs in such a short space of time. I'm really grateful that my body is in one piece.

"And a PB on top of it. What more can you ask for in a World Championships. Two finals with two amazing teams, and the support back home."

Becker, who represented Ireland at the mixed relay at the Tokyo Olympics, shrugged off what had