ROUND 3 | 2026 AMGEN IRISH OPEN | DP WORLD TOUR

 

BREAKING | IRISH WOMENS 4X400M BOOK PLACE AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH COMMANDING PERFORMANCE IN CHINA

Sophie Becker, Rachel McCann, Sharlene Mawdsley and Rhasidat Adeleke after winning the women's 4x400m World Championship Qualifying Round 2
 

The Irish women’s 4x400m team of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Rachel McCann and Sharlene Mawdsley secured qualification for the Tokyo World Championships with a commanding performance to win their second qualification round in Guangzhou, China today.

Mawdsley produced another foot-perfect anchor leg to carry them to victory in 3:24.69 ahead of Australia (3:27.31) and Switzerland (3:32.37), leaving them with an overall 12th-place finish.

“The girls put me in a great position and I love to chase,” said Mawdsley. “It was a smart run and I’m really happy to be getting that experience early in the season as what happened in Paris, I really don’t want that to happen again – so it’s all about learning and looking forward to the rest of the summer.”

Without Adeleke and Mawdsley in the first round yesterday – while the duo focused on the mixed 4x400m – the women’s team came up just shy of a place in the final, finishing third in the first round. That meant they had to secure a top-three finish in today’s second round to book their place in Tokyo, which looked a facile task given the calibre in their ranks.

Becker produced another superb opening leg, splitting 51.41 out of the blocks to hand over to Adeleke close to the front. The Dubliner coasted through the opening half of her leg before turning on the jets and handing over to McCann in front after a 50.38-second leg. McCann ran well through the opening 300m then tied up slightly in the home straight, splitting 52.89, leaving Mawdsley to stalk Australia’s Alanah Yukich on the anchor leg, with the Tipperary native launching her attack on the crown of the final bend and coming home almost three seconds clear.

“I think we have solidified ourselves as one of the best relays in the world and we’re just continuing that on,” said Adeleke. “I’m really excited to see what we can do at the World Championships now that we’re qualified. We’re building, I’m building every race and getting back into shape and I’m really excited to see what this season holds for all of us – individually and as a team.”

Following the mixed 4x400m qualification on Saturday, it means Ireland will be represented in two relays at the World Championships in Tokyo.

The men’s 4x400m team of Conor Kelly, Cillín Greene, Chris O’Donnell and Jack Raftery came up short of reaching Tokyo after finishing seventh in the second qualification round in 3:04.42.

“We did find it tough out there, we’d have liked to do better but it’s a very, very strong standard – there’s zero weak teams out there,” said O’Donnell. “To put the progress into perspective, we didn’t qualify last year, we haven’t been here in 10 years. This was the first step – getting here – and we weren’t good enough, there’s no excuses, but next year and the year after, ultimately, we want this team to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games. We’re better than we were last year and we’ll be better again next year.”

Ireland will also later be in action in the mixed 4x400m final in Guangzhou at 2.03pm Irish time, but the team will be below strength in the absence of Adeleke and Mawdsley.

- Cathal Dennehy

 

MICHAEL CHANDLER URGES CONOR MCGREGOR TO FIGHT AMID RETIREMENT RUMOURS

McGregor hasn't fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, and is yet to announce when he will make his return to the octagon

Michael Chandler is desperate to finally get his long-awaited fight with Conor McGregor

UFC star Michael Chandler has challenged Conor McGregor to a fight, despite the latter's recent hints at retirement.

McGregor - a former dual-weight UFC champion - hasn't fought since losing to rival Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 nearly four years ago. The Irishman suffered a nasty leg break in the clash, but has since flirted with the idea of making a return to the octagon. Despite his absence from the cage, 'The Notorious' has remained active.

As for Chandler, the UFC lightweight sensation is set to face rising 155lb contender Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 later this month. The American fighter hasn't stepped in the cage since his loss to Charles Oliveira last November. Prior to the Oliveira clash, the former Bellator lightweight champion was waited two years for a shot at 'The Notorious.'

Both fighters were opposing coaches on TUF 31 in 2023, and it seemed they were destined to face each other in the octagon. However, an injury during training forced McGregor to withdraw from their scheduled UFC 303 showdown. Recently, the 36-year-old hinted at retiring from the sport to focus on his ambition to become the Irish president.

Chandler responded to McGregor's remarks in a chat with The Schmo, stating: "He's making that push for the President of Ireland. We'll see how true it is, or how much of a publicity stunt it is. As you guys can see, we had the TUF 31 deal, waited for the Conor fight, got the fight booked; he pulled out. Who knows if he's ever coming back? You can see by my actions of fighting Charles Oliveria in November and now Paddy Pimblett in April, I'm not sitting around waiting for Conor."

He added: "He knows his road back to the UFC goes through me. We have to finish The Ultimate Fighter 31. We still have a contract with both of our names on it, even though he was not a man of his word in showing up. First time he's ever pulled out of a fight was against me in his entire career. I don't think he wants that to be his legacy. However, if he does, I wish him well in his presidential run in Ireland. But if he comes back to the UFC, he has to fight me."

McGregor went viral after dropping some bombshell comments during a recent BKFC media event. He hinted at calling it quits from fighting, stating: "What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness."

He described the connection between the two nations, saying: "Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling. So it's important for Ireland to be a peaceful, prosperous country for 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, [to] come back to their home. So we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue, and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro. The United States should look after its little bro. And that's how we feel."

McGregor continued: "I've got two fights on the contract, I'm in negotiations. Last week something happened to me, I went to the White House and my heart bleeds for my country right now. So there's a lot of stuff going on back home, I'm happy with what I've done. There's something else for me that's in my gut right now and that's kind of where I'm going.''

However, McGregor seemingly quickly changed his mind as he claimed that becoming president would not stop him from fighting, but instead fuel his desire to get back in the octagon. When questioned whether he could juggle being a president and a fighter, he responded: "F*****g right I will, of course, are you crazy? That's part of why I want to do it! To be announced as the President of Ireland while having a fight? Imagine that. But for sure, hell yeah, hell yes."

- James Evans