SHARLENE MAWDSLEY has revealed the injury that cost her at the European Indoor Championships – and when she is expected to return.
The Tipperary runner, 26, was forced to sit out the individual 400m having run in the mixed 4x400m relay the night before.
On Instagram, she revealed the full extent of the injury after undergoing scans to discover the issue.
She said: “A little update as my DMs have been crazy (& lovely) asking about my leg
“I was in for a scan on my hamstring yesterday
“I have a small tear in my Tendon of biceps femoris (double Dutch to me)
“I am already starting my rehab program with my team & will hopefully be back running in the next couple of weeks.”
While disappointed at the injury setback, Mawdsley revealed how the blow has been cushioned by the presence of a loved one.
Sharing a photo of her dog, she said: “Of course my emotional support has stuck by me
“Just because I can’t run doesn’t men Lola can’t wait”
Mawdsley cut a disappointed figure when speaking to RTE after withdrawing from the 400m.
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.”