SHARLENE MAWDSLEY thanked her closest supporters for trusting her “when I wasn’t sure I trusted myself” after returning to racing.
“An emotional weekend but so grateful for those around me making it a little easier.
“I don’t want to continue to touch on this subject publicly however, I do want to express my gratitude to those who have helped me these last number of weeks.
“To those who helped me get to the start line, my competitors for being so gracious and understanding, to my teammates and the staff this weekend for their help.
“They trusted me, when I wasn’t sure I even trusted myself.
“I will never be able to express my thanks to all of the people who have been there these last number of weeks (I hope you know who you all are) but I will never forget it.”
She also revealed when fans can next expect her on the track.
Mawdsley added: “Now we can look to the next race where I will start on home soil in Morton Games on July 11th”
The Olympian had her late dad in her thoughts immediately following her performance in Slovenia.
In a pair of post-race interviews, she dedicated her display to him.
She said: “I think the thing was I going to have to race eventually or he would probably haunt me.
“Initially, I wasn’t doing Team Championships. The lane then became available and I thought maybe that’s a sign.
“To run a season’s best is a nice boost, I guess, for the rest of the season and now I know he is looking down on me.
“He got me through that race so I’m sure it is going to be an upward trajectory for the rest of the season.”
Mawdsley had not raced since achieving a season’s best in Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia at the start of June.
In addition to that showing on the Sunday at the big-money Grand Slam Track event, she also came sixth in the long sprints category 24 hours previous.
For that performance, she banked $15,000 with Olympic 400m gold medallist Marileidy Paulino coming out on top.
Mawdsley wound up in fifth place.
Once again, she clocked a season’s-best time in that race at 51.12.
And the Paris Olympian hopes that she can carry her performance from Maribor into a successful remainder of the season.
She told Athletics Ireland: “Honestly, I don’t even know how I made it around. Season’s best is great.
“It is a shame I didn’t come first. I would have loved the top points but it probably would have taken a PB to do that today.
“I am looking forward to cheering on the rest of the team now.
