Sharlene Mawdsley produced the performance of her career on Sunday evening, clocking a lifetime best of 50.06 seconds on her Diamond League debut in Paris to underline her growing status among the world's elite 400 metre runners.
The Newport AC athlete finished fifth in a world class field, holding off Cuba's Roxana Gómez in the closing stages, as another outstanding run moved her even closer to the long awaited sub 50 second barrier.
Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino stormed to victory in a Diamond League record, while Czechia's Lurdes Gloria Manuel produced another outstanding performance with a personal best to come in second place. Dutch star Lieke Klaver, one of Mawdsley's biggest European rivals, crossed the line just ahead of the Irishwoman in a season's best of 49.97.
Far from being overawed by the occasion, Mawdsley settled into the race impressively and held her own throughout against a field packed with Olympic, World and European medallists. Her finishing time of 50.06 took another chunk off her previous best and continues the Tipperary woman's impressive run of progress that now leaves a sub 50 second performance looking increasingly within reach.
Making a Diamond League debut is a significant milestone in any athlete's career, but producing a personal best in such company is an even stronger statement.
