Olympics 24: ‘Today just wasn’t my day’ – Tallaght’s Rhasidat Adeleke

Tallaght Athletic Club’s Rhasidat Adeleke of Team Ireland ran her third fastest time ever of 49.28 to finish fourth in the women’s 400m final tonight in Paris, making history in the process by becoming the first Irish woman ever to contest an Olympic sprint final.

The gold medal was won by the reigning world champion and Tokyo silver medallist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic in an incredible new Olympic record time of 48.17.

She smashed the 28-year-old record held by French legend Josie-Marie Perec, set all the way back at the Atlanta Games.

Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain stormed to silver in a season’s best time of 48.53, with reigning European champion Natalia Kaczmareck of Poland; claiming the bronze in 48.98.

Tallaght’s Adeleke gave this reaction afterwards: “Definitely disappointed.

There was so much more there than what I did today. This is just part of the game, you win some, you lose some.

It’s all about showing up on the day.

Today just wasn’t my day. I just appreciate everyone who’s been showing up for me, everyone who’s supported me.

I appreciate my whole team, my coach, my whole family, my friends whole support team. It means so much.”

She went on to say: “I didn’t achieve my dreams today but in the future I just hope there’s more podiums there and I’ll be able to perform at my best when it’s most important.

It just wasn’t meant to be today. It’s my first Olympics,

I’m grateful to be healthy and, going forward, I want to be exactly where I want to be. That’s what I’m going to be working towards in the future. I’m hungrier than ever!”

Asked about the race plan Adeleke said: “My coach said don’t let a plan get into your head, just execute, you can judge it yourself and I feel like it didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to but I still gave it my best effort today.

“The whole thing is a bit of a blur. (On the) home straight I think I was in contention, maybe I panicked a little bit and started to strain.

It’s just a whole blur. All I remember is that I didn’t make the podium.

I was just staring at the screen (laughs)…’Oh my God, no way, I came fourth again? Can someone just give me a medal?!’”

Notably Adeleke was beaten into fourth by two previous world champions; Paulino (2023), and Naser (2019), and the reigning European champion Kaczmarek (2024).

Amber Anning of Great Britain ran a National Record to place fifth behind Adeleke with Alexis Holmes of the USA running a personal best to take sixth.

At just twenty-one years of age Ireland’s Adeleke, who only became a 400m specialist over the last couple of years, was the second youngest of the field.

Only the Norwegian was younger than her by a matter of months.

Paulino is 27-years-old, Nazer is 26-years-old, as is Kaczmarek which give credence to the widely held belief that the 400m is a real strength event suited to athletes peaking in the mid-twenties.

Adeleke was asked about this after the race and whether that strength over the last 50m will come with age: “I think there’s times where I’ve had that last 50m and times where I haven’t.

It really depends on how the rest of the race goes.

Also maybe it comes down to me being more patient and not kicking as early.

At the end of the day I think it comes with experience and I think I have so much more to come in the 400m, so much more experience and races, to be able to learn how I should run my race the best.

Adeleke confirmed afterwards that she plans to take her place in the Women’s 4x400m relay tomorrow and said: “I think it’s another opportunity to get out here and give it my all.”

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