European Athletics Championships are next on the list for Tipperary's Sharlene Mawdsley

Sharlene Mawdsley has been selected in the initial squad announced by Athletics Ireland for the upcoming European Athletics Championships, which take place in Rome from June 7 – 12.

This announcement confirms the selection of those with A standards and the qualified relay teams, while athletes qualifying via ranking position and having achieved a B standard will be confirmed after European Athletics produces its final list of qualifiers today.

Previous championship medal winners Thomas Barr (Ferrybank AC), Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn AC) and Mark English (Finn Valley AC) are all set to return to European action, while two-time world indoor finalist Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) will have her sights set on making her second major championship final of the season.

Multiple national record holder, Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC), will spearhead a strong Irish challenge in the women’s 400 metres alongside the in-form pair Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) and Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock), with all three also selected in exciting 400 metres relays squads.

The Irish relay teams, which include Tipperary athlete Mawdsley, have enjoyed tremendous success in global competition over the past 12 months, capped most recently with the mixed 4x400 metres team claiming a brilliant bronze at the World Relays in the Bahamas.

Four relay teams have been selected for the European Championships, with the mixed 4x400 metres team once again looking particularly formidable.

The staging of the event in Rome comes 50 years after the Italian capital last staged the championships.