SHARLENE MAWDSLEY admitted she was “devastated” after injury ruled her out of the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
The Tipperary star, 26, was forced to withdraw from the individual 400m on Friday due to a hamstring issue.
Speaking to RTE, she explained: “I was in my warm up this morning and my hamstring just kept getting worse and worse.
“I wasn’t even in my spikes. I was still striding in my runners and it was just too sore.
“It wasn’t meant to be today which obviously is really devastating. I really wanted to go out and run.
“After last night, I had so much confidence.
“It isn’t often that I would back myself to think that I could make a final and I really believed I could.”
Mawdsley had run in the 4x400m mixed relay alongside Phil Healy, Conor Kelly, and Marcus Lawler on Thursday night.
The Irish quartet finished fifth, with Mawdsley clocking a spectacular split time of 49.93.
That is despite carrying into the race the hamstring problem that would ultimately put paid to her designs on the 400m.
She said: “My hamstring was a bit tight yesterday and I had physio just before I went into the call room and it settled it.
“I felt really good yesterday, even after, and this morning I felt good but I just persisted in the warm-up today.
“If I went out onto the track, it would have just got worse and worse and I didn’t want to tear it completely.
“I will have to wait for an MRI and an ultra sound to see what the damage actually is.”
Mawdsley can take solace from the injury happening this early in the year.
She has designs on the World Championships, which take place in Turkey in September.
And while disappointed not to be able to challenge for a medal in the Netherlands, she said her long-term focus lies elsewhere.
She added: “September was always the focus for us.
“We never really put an emphasis on indoors but when you are in good shape, you want to show the world, really.
“At least I got to do it a little bit yesterday.
“My split time was really fast and it shows that I was definitely in PB shape but it is just devastating not to be able to go out and show that today.”
