Rhasidat scores silver in Europe and makes her mother so proud
By Sean Heffernan
The Mother of runner Rhasidat Adeleke has spoken about how proud she is of her daughter after she won silver for Ireland in the 200m at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Gyor, Hungary.
Speaking to The Echo, Marfield resident Ade Adeleke said “I am excited and I am very proud of her.”
The 14-year-old runner took her first steps in the sport nine years ago as her mother recalled: “My daughter started running at the age of five in school, and always won the school title.”
“Her schoolteacher in sixth class in St Mark’s School gave me the number for Tallaght Athletics Club, and she started with them three years ago.”
Ade and her husband Prince moved from Oyo state in western Nigera, to Ireland around 20 years ago – family members in her home country and now living elsewhere are thrilled at her daughter’s success.
“Everybody back home in Nigeria, and even in America have been ringing up wanting to talk to her and congratulate her on her win – they are so happy for her”
It would appear that athletics runs in the family, as another daughter has also tasted success.
Ade remarked “My other daughter Lati is very good at events like the shot putt and discus. A few years ago she also did 100m racing”.
Lati is the current Dublin Shot Putt champion, and hopes are high that in the future she too will take a national title in her own right.
The Echo also spoke to her silver-medal-winning daughter, Rashidat.
When asked about how she felt after her success at the Youth Olympics, the Tallaght runner had this to say; “I never thought I could get this far when I started, and I am so grateful to my family, my school and my coaches for all their help.”
The Presentation Terenure student is the current Irish Schools champion at 100m and 200m, and is well aware of how important education is, saying “The plan is to get better at school, keeping up my studies while also training on and off the track”
With the Kiltipper resident running the races of her life at the moment, and the continuing praise of her coach, and other luminaries of Irish Athletics, she can expect many more phone calls from abroad from family members congratulating her and expressing delight at her achievements.
