Sharlene Mawdsley gets the Irish effort under way at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest this evening.
The Tipperary sprinter will line up in the first women’s 400m semi final at 6.38pm Irish time, just three days after making an impressive return from injury.
Mawdsley had been enjoying the finest season of her career before that injury struck. She lowered her personal best four times in little more than a month, running 50.52 in Savona, 50.17 in Brussels, 50.14 in Hengelo and 50.06 at the Paris Diamond League.
The 50 second barrier appeared to be only a matter of time. Her form also placed her firmly among the leading European contenders ahead of the European Championships in Birmingham.
That momentum came to a painful halt at the National Championships, where Mawdsley suffered a hamstring tear. She fought to recover in time for Birmingham but was ultimately forced to withdraw, ending any hopes of competing for an individual medal.
Her return finally came in Rovereto on Tuesday evening. Mawdsley won the 400m in 50.58 seconds, a seriously respectable performance for her first race since the injury.
