Rhasidat ‘honoured’ at receiving Echo Sports Star Award

RHASIDAT Adeleke is “honoured” to have been named The Echo 2022 Sports Star of the Year after setting new Irish female records in the 60m, 200m, 300m and 400m events.

The Tallaght Athletic Club athlete started 2022 on a high to become the first female athlete to break the 37- second barrier when she clocked 36.87 over 300m while competing for the University of Texas.

Adeleke later set new Irish women’s indoor 200m record, becoming the first sub-23 second runner with a 22.85 time, as well as the 60m record, posting a blistering time of 7.21.

Later, the Texas-based sprinter who is training under Edrick Floreall, broke the 400m record and announced herself on the World Senior Championship stage with a ninth place finish in the 400m in Oregan.

“I am absolutely honoured to be named The Echo Sports Star of the Year 2022, I wasn’t expecting it,” Adeleke told The Echo after her family picked up her award at the ceremony in The Plaza Hotel last Thursday.

Since moving to the University of Texas on a scholarship in January 2021, the former Presentation College Terenure student has continued to excel and her growth has only been accelerated.

“Moving to the University of Texas has allowed me to experience training at the highest level with one of the best sprint coaches in the world and some of the best athletes in the world,” the now-20-year-old said.

“I’ve been provided with all the resources and facilities that I need to improve.

“Whenever I step on the track I try to clear my mind of any worries or stresses and focus on giving my all once the gun goes off.

“I trust in God, my coach and my training and that’s all I can do.”

Qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is at the front of Rhasidat Adeleke’s mind in terms of goal-setting.

“My short term goals are just to remain focused and continue to work on my progress,” Adeleke says. “I’m definitely looking forward to the Olympic Games.

“They’re right around the corner so ultimately everything I’m doing now is preparing me for that.”

Ever since she was 15, when she secured a gold medal in the 200m final at the European Under 18 Championships, Rhasidat’s profile has exploded into the national spotlight.

In 2019, Rhasidat became a double Gold medallist for Team Ireland at the Baku European Youth Olympics and topped that with another double gold at the Under 20 equivalent in 2021.

With Paris 2024 only around the corner, and qualification expected to start in the summer, keeping her goals in the her mind helps Rhasidat stay focused.

“Keeping my goals at the front of my mind helps me stay focused and grounded,” she says.

“I’m a competitor and I’ve always wanted to succeed at everything I do. That alone gives me enough motivation.

“There’s also the fact that I’m not only doing it for myself, I want to make my family, friends and the rest of Ireland proud. “Especially people who look up to me, I want to set a great example.”