But a race against a former inter-county hurler filmed on a phone in a housing estate beside Semple Stadium around 6.0 the morning after Tipperary’s All-Ireland SHC homecoming in July.
Irish athlete Sharlene Mawdsley launching the Zambrero Ireland’s Plate4Plate Zam Run 2025. Log your run this weekend, take a screenshot, post to socials and tag @zambreroireland to donate extra meals. Photo: Andrew Downes/Xposure
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – September 25th
The video of Mawdsley speeding past Brian ‘Buggy’ O’Meara in a street race was one of the funniest viral posts of the summer.
The European relay gold medallist had been celebrating Tipp’s success with her partner, All-Ireland winner Michael Breen, when she got a proposition she couldn’t refuse.
“Someone must have said, ‘I bet I’d beat you in a race’. And my competitiveness said, ‘No, you won’t’. Next thing I knew, the sandals were off and I was ready to go,” laughs Mawdsley in an interview with the Irish Independent.
“You’ve been drinking for four or five hours and then something like that happens and you’re like, ‘Oh, God’. I woke up the next day and saw my phone and thought, ‘What’s happened?’ And then I saw it. I didn’t leave the apartment for the day. The fear was so bad.
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“When I went to training the next day, I was making sure my legs were OK because Nationals were only two weeks after.
“I was a bit worried, but thankfully, everything paid off. I could have fun and still win a national title!” she added.
Mawdsley got home from Tokyo to Tipperary two days ago to bring an end to her track season. She finished eighth in the semi-final of the 400m at the World Championships for 20th place overall.
After the highs of last year, the mixed 4x400m and women’s 4x400m relay teams failed to get out of the heats. Sonia O’Sullivan said in the RTÉ studio that she didn’t think Mawdsley got the same energy running individually compared to the relays.
“For me, I was just so happy and so relieved to have progressed. I just felt after such a hard year that that was a little reward,” Mawdsley adds.
“I just have a different mindset with the relay. I don’t think as much, which probably helps me run faster. And with the relays, you have a rolling start and I’m anchor leg, so I’m rolling in, whereas in an individual, you start out of blocks and I think there’s a lot more for me to think about. It wasn’t just Sonia who thinks that, so I’ll try not to take it too harshly!”
Even getting to the start line in Japan was a feat in itself. Over three months ago, her father, Thomas ‘Tucker’ Mawdsley, died suddenly. She took five weeks off training to grieve with her loved ones and found the three weeks away for the World Championships difficult at times.
Tipperary’s Michael Breen and partner Sharlene Mawdsley celebrate with the Liam MacCarthy cup after the Premier County’s victory in the All-Ireland hurling final. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
“There isn’t a day or a moment that goes by that I don’t think of him and everything that we’ve been through this year. When you’re in the middle of the track season, you’re just trying to get by, you’re trying to keep your head above water. I’m lucky I had track as a distraction.
“It’s hard being away from the people you love. I feel like my emotions they’re high, then they’re low. The waves of grief are hard. But being back home makes me so grateful for who I have around me.”
Mawdsley is one of the many athletes owed prizemoney from Michael Johnson’s failed Grand Slam Track venture. She is due $15,000 for her sixth-place finish in the long sprints category, but she’s not banking on ever seeing it.
Sarlene Mawdsley after competing in the women’s 4x400m relay heats at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
“I don’t have huge animosity towards Michael Johnson because he didn’t start this to go bankrupt. Obviously, it’s unfortunate that an investor pulled out and, OK, we haven’t got our money, but I still feel really grateful that I had the opportunity to race there.”
She’s off hardcore training for the next five to six weeks, although the running doesn’t completely stop. Mawdsley, in her role as ambassador with Zambrero Ireland, is inviting runners to join the first-ever Zam Run.
“People are asked to turn their weekend walks or runs into extra meal donations with every kilometre logged supporting Zambrero Ireland’s charity partner, Rise Against Hunger.
“Every kilometre people track on Instagram or social media this week, from Thursday until Sunday, they’re going to donate another meal for every kilometre run. I’ve already messaged Mikey [Breen], we’ve a 5km to do this week. I think that might be a test for me, but we’ll see how it goes.”
*For more, go to @zambreroireland
Leinster Rugby’s Darragh Fanning and Irish athlete Sharlene Mawdsley at the launch of Plate4Plate Zam Run 2025. Log your run this weekend, take a screenshot, post to socials and tag @zambreroireland to donate extra meals. Photo: Andrew Downes/Xposure