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RHASIDAT ADELEKE HAS qualified for the women’s 400m Olympic final after finishing second in her semi-final this evening.
The 21-year-old athlete from Tallaght ran a strong race coming home in a time of 49.95 seconds and finishing behind Brunei’s Salwa Eid Naser.
Only the top two from each race are guaranteed places in the final, with the remaining places going to the two fastest losers across the three semi-finals.
The final takes place at 7pm Irish time on Friday 9 August, where Adeleke will hope to be in contention for a medal.
Adeleke cruised through her heat on Monday in a controlled performance that included time for a few looks either side of her as she eased down the home straight, posting a time of 50.09 seconds.
She also managed to avoid a semi-final with 2023 world champion Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, and Nickisha Pryce from Jamaica, both of whom run in the second semi-final.
Her coach Edrick Floreal, also known as Coach Flo, will be hoping the good fortune of Adeleke’s training group continues into Friday’s final.
Julien Alfred, the Saint Lucian sprinter and training partner of Adeleke has already come away with a gold and silver medal in the women’s 100m and 200m respectively.
She will be the sole Irish representative in the final after teammates Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker failed to advance past the repechage heats yesterday.
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Well done first irish athlette to make a final in a spirt race
@Square: is the 400 hurdles not classed as a sprint race
@Shaun Gallagher: not hurdles and yes 400 meters is a sprint race
Fair play to her and still has more in the tank. Going be a tough field in the final and no matter what happens she’s gaining invaluable experience for the next Olympic games where she should be near her peak. Good luck to her and hopefully another medal for Ireland on Friday evening!
@james rowan: seemed to slow down in last part of the race. Maybe just keeping her powder dry for the big one. Lots of stars in final but every good luck to her !
@james rowan: Ah Stop,yer one that won “couldn’t be found” for a dope test and got a two year ban,she’s just back ..she’s flying anyway ,hope she was OK wherever she was ..
@Gerry Campbell: ya dont sit well for me
@Gerry Campbell: she had to be available for testing during the 2 year ban, so should be clean now. Still doesn’t sit well though
@SYaxJ2Ts: back In the day, regarding ‘le tour de France ‘ my old French neighbour said : if their all at it, then it’s still the best who wins finally.
Why don’t you say out loud what you’re implying ?
@Gerry Campbell: She looked very comfortable for a 400m at the end. Why they let these people back is a mystery
@SYaxJ2Ts: You really believe the testers are on top of the dopers?
@Vincent Wallace: yes. Someone who was banned, not for actual doping, but for not making themselves available for testing, needs to make themselves available for testing
@offside again: I’m not implying anything other than I’m not comfortable with it. I suspect she was clean last night though
Don’t care if she medals or not she is an amazing athlete who has done us all proud with her attitude and performance
@Tony Nolan: She’ll care if she wins medals.
A phenomenal athlete.
Unfortunately a medal doesn’t look likely this games. But what a run and it is a huge achievement reaching the final.
@Argus Romsworth: I would totally agree. I can see her coming fourth or fifth. You never know though….
For the island of Ireland go Adeleke go girl and bring it home.
Fingers crossed.
Brilliant achievement getting to final. On paper 4th or 5th place for final, but you never know.
Bronze would be an immense achievement for this young Irish girl. Fingers crossed. Big viewing figures as its “A nation holds its breath” time!
@john kenny: Bronze..
with a bit of luck!
She’s done incredibly well considering how young she is! Lots of big names in the final and a lot of people outside of Ireland wouldn’t give her a holy prayer of medalling. I think that suits her perfectly and takes the pressure off. She can just go and have a “RIGHT CUT AT IT” and throw the shackles off. Let’s go Adeleke, we are all behind you! What an incredible athlete and young woman. A true role model.
Well done for qualifying but looking at that final the best she can hope for is a miraculous medal.
@noel donohue: What have you achieved in your lifetime Noel??
Another medal on the way…
@Tony Skillington: I wish I could agree with you. Remember she needed a PB for silver in the Europeans
@Tony Skillington: Unlikely, she was the 7th fastest qualifier out of 8.
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: 6th
@Tony Skillington: she needs others to under perform to get a medal.
@Ted Daly: Her personal best is 49.07, if she can bring her best she’s absolutely quick enough for a medal.
‘….. ran a strong race……’? Looked very laboured for the last 100m.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: I read that she said couldn’t get into her rhythm, that the false start didn’t help. She looked nervous.
@Dermot Blaine: yeah I’m sure they were all pumped up for the race and then a false start wouldn’t be helping the situation
Lane 4 is better for her than lane 8 she had in the semi final – she will be able to see what’s going on outside her – She can make bronze at least if she runs to her best!
Why are some analysing instead of justifying her great effort.
@Phillip Smyth: You do know that most people on the Journal are experts at everything?!!!
@Phillip Smyth: As a former Community Games top 50 participant I have every right to analyse for my country!
According to Paddy Power..
1. Paulino
2. Naser
3.Adeleke
4.Kaczmarek
Based on the performances last night, I’d put Kaczmarek ahead of Adeleke but who knows. We can only hope.
@Mies Valkenburg: Hope Paddy treats you good.Gambling addiction destroys lives.
Don’t think she will medal.
The first Irish athlete of any colour to finish in any female 400 metres hurdles.
@Phillip Smyth: hard to do in an event she didn’t compete in.
Gratitude to all the expert or non experts athletic coaches or non experts who are participating in this thread.
Betting on a position in this particular race of all the the participants for Ireland in Paris have not seen this before, i wonder in the betting shops are they doing who finishes where.
I dearly hope Adeleke goes well in this momentous hurdle the eyes of world be. Upon her head what she is leaving in Paris we want it.
The stench in here is unreal , well done BUT …. Most of you want her to fail but you find other subtle ways of saying it. Get behind her like you did with the British swimmer, wait did i just say that !!
She came second in her semi final to a drug cheat.Naser should not be allowed to compete.
Qualifying for that final an achievement in itself / anything beyond that would be a bonus!
have your say