Rhasidat to compete in World Athletics Relays in China

ATHLETICS Ireland announced a 14-strong team ahead of the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China on Saturday May 10 and Sunday May 11 which includes Tallaght’s Rhasidat Adeleke.

Women’s, men’s and mixed 4x400m relay teams will travel to the championships aiming to seal all-important qualification for September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The top fourteen teams in each event qualify for the World Championships.

The women’s 4x400m relay team who finished fourth in last summer’s Olympic final in Paris will all travel to China.

Rhasidat Adeleke will link up with Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC), Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Phil Healy (Bandon AC) who are all also listed for the mixed 4x400m team.

Only last weekend, Rhasidat competed in her first individual race of the season at the Tom Jones Memorial meeting in Gainesville, Florida, registering a time of 22.57 to finish fourth in a strong 200m field.

Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, who trains with Adeleke, won the race ina time of  21.88, which also included two other 200m finalists from the Paris Olympics.

Kate O’Connell from Lucan Harriers is named in the Women’s 4x400m and Mixed 4x400m while Jack Raftery of Donore Harriers is named in the Men’s 4x400m and  Mixed 4x400m.

Christian Malcolm, Athletics Ireland High Performance Sprints Lead said:  “Following a hugely successful 2024 for our relay teams, I’m pleased to see three teams selected for the World Athletics Relays which illustrates the terrific depth we currently have in Irish sprinting.

“We look forward to travelling to Guangzhou as we attempt to seal qualification for the World Athletics Championships in September in Tokyo.”