The return of a Rhasidat Adeleke in red-hot form boosts Ireland this weekend as the mixed 4x400m and women's 4x400m relay teams look to qualify for the Paris Games.
Ireland head to the Bahamas for the World Athletics Relays, where the top 14 countries in each event advance to the Olympics.
On Saturday, eight teams have the chance to seal their spot at the Games with the top two in each heat qualifying and advancing to Sunday's final. The remaining 24 teams will go into the repechage, where the top two in each of the three heats earn an Olympic berth.
Finishing positions in the finals will also help to determine lane draws at the Olympics.
Ireland have enjoyed considerable success in both relay events in recent years.
In March, they finished fifth in the final of the women’s 4x400m at the World Indoors in Glasgow. Adeleke opted to miss those championships, but she returns to the fold this time round for both the mixed and women’s events.
Last weekend Adeleke ran a wind-assisted sub-11-second time to win the women's 100m final at the Texas Invitational. The Tallaght sprinter clocked 10.84 seconds to finish 0.1 clear of American Celera Barnes and 0.26 ahead of third-place finisher Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, who has been a world champion.
Sharlene Mawdsley has been an integral part of Ireland’s relay success in recent times and will also be part of both squads. Mawdsley anchored the mixed and women’s teams in their respective finals at last year's World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Thomas Barr, a 400m hurdles specialist, boasts the fastest 400m indoor time by an Irishman this year and competes at these championships for the third time in the mixed relay.
He is joined by Cillín Greene, Jack Raftery and Christopher O’Donnell who will all be vying for spots in the starting team.
The experienced trio of Phil Healy, Sophie Becker and Roisin Harrison, who were all part of the team in Glasgow, could also feature for both squads.
Lauren Cadden (Sligo AC) and Rachel McCann (North Down AC) round out the wider squad having sampled a major championships in Glasgow.
TEAM IRELAND
Rhasidat Adeleke (women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Sharlene Mawdsley (women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Phil Healy (women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Sophie Becker (women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Roisin Harrison (women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Lauren Cadden (women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Rachel McCann (women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m)
Thomas Barr (mixed 4x400m)
Cillín Greene (mixed 4x400m)
Jack Raftery (mixed 4x400m)
Chris O’Donnell (mixed 4x400m)
World Athletics Relays - Irish in action (local time/Irish time)
Saturday/Sunday
Mixed 4x400m - Heats (7.05pm/12.05am)
Women's 4x400m - Heats (9.05pm/2.05am)
Sunday/Monday
Women’s 4x400m - Repechage (8.30pm/1.30am)
Mixed 4x400m - Repechage (9.04pm/2.04am)
Mixed 4x400m - Final (9.40pm/2.40am)
Women’s 4x400m - Final (10.10pm/03.10am)
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