DIRECTOR OF High Performance at Athletics Ireland Paul McNamara has come out to speak about Friday night’s debatable decision.
It was heartbreak for Sharlene Mawdsley at the World Athletics Championships as she was disqualified from her 400m semi-final.
Mawdsley finished third in the race with a time of 52.16 seconds, but was denied her first global final after an appeal from fourth-placed Austrian Susanne Gogl-Walli.
Track judges ruled an infringement on the last bend, with an Irish counter-appeal challenging that call.
Unfortunately for Mawdsley, judges ruled that she had obstructed Gogl-Walli and the appeal against her disqualification was overruled.
McNamara broke his silence on the incident to explain why it should have been overturned.
He told RTE Sport: “We don’t agree with the decision and we don’t think it’s a fair outcome.
“We think it could easily have gone the other way and the decision could have been overturned. Contact in 400m indoor running is part and parcel of our sport. It’s perfectly normal and to be expected.
“A key factor from our perspective is the outcome of the race. Was the outcome affected by the contact?
“We feel in that regard it certainly wasn’t. Sharlene passed the Austrian at speed and had real momentum. She was closing the gap on Lieke Klaver at that stage and was going to finish third or better in that race.
“The Austrian wasn’t negatively affected. She retained her fourth position, didn’t lose any further ground.
“Alongside that, there is video evidence to suggest that Sharlene did hold her line on that second lap as she passed. She did move in to the inside lane when there was felt there was space to do so.
“With those two factors in mind, we felt the decision should have been overturned.”
Mawdsley returns to action in the 4x400m relay on Sunday.
Before the disqualification, she had said: “The race was so messy so to get into the final is amazing, I can’t believe it.
“Everyone went for the break and I found myself a bit behind so I made a big move on the back straight and it paid off. I’m thrilled. I’ll have to speak to my coach about things for the final but to have a place there is a dream, so I’m delighted.”
Meanwhile, there was heartache for Sarah Healy in the 1500m.
The UCD speedster stumbled when approaching the line having brushed shoulders with fast-finishing Birke Hatlom of Ethiopia.
Healy rose to her feet but the damage was done as she crossed the line in 4:18.86 for sixth place.
Elsewhere, Israel Olatunde, 21, ran his fastest race of the season in his 60m heat but his 6.70 was not enough to reach the evening’s semi-final.