It is hard to believe Rhasidat Adeleke is still just 22 years old. In her eight years of running track and field she has already established herself as the greatest Irish female sprinter ever. She holds seven Irish running records and took part in two record setting relays. She became the first Irish women ever to run 400 meters in under 50 seconds. At the European Track and Field Championships in Rome in June of 2024 Ireland, she claimed four team medals and Rhasidat was on all four of those teams. She won an individual silver medal in Rome, which she followed up with a silver in the 4X 400 relay. She had an excellent chance to claim a medal at the Paris Olympics, but she just missed out twice. She became the first Irish female sprinter to make an Olympic final, but she finished fourth in the 400-meter dash. She also was part of the Irish 4X 400-meter team that was edged out of the bronze medal by Great Britain. The relay team and their fellow Olympians returned home to a hero's welcome, with a massive celebration at the GPO at O'Connell's Street, Dublin.
She is massively popular in Ireland. A huge mural of the Dubliner graces a wall in Waterford City. Readers of the Irish Times voted the 6-foot-tall Afro-Irish sprinter the second most admired sports figure in Ireland, but her popularity goes beyond her athletic prowess. Despite her amazing achievements on the track, she is humble and credits her mother for much of her success. Her mom, Ade, is often seen at events with Rhasidat, who has spoken out repeatedly about the critical role her mother has played in her success. When Rhasidat was nominated for the RTÉ Young Sportsperson of the Year in 2021 her mom was with at the awards ceremony, and she attends all Rhasidat’s races. In an interview at the European Athletics Championships in June Rhasidat said of her mother: "To be able to be here doing what I do and what I love, putting this work in, I just feel so grateful to her because I definitely wouldn't be here without her."
Rhasidat was born in Dublin in 2002, the second child of three. Her parents, Ade and Prince Adeleke, were immigrants from Nigeria who settled in Tallaght. Rhasidat says she has fond memories of growing up in Tallaght, which she says will always hold a “special place in her heart.” She recalled the childhood games she'd play with her friends in the neighborhood, where she proved to be faster than all the other kids, including the boys! Rhasidat excelled in a variety of sports including Gaelic football, camogie, volleyball, badminton, and basketball. Rhasidat attended St Mark's National School in Springfield and ran for her primary school in athletics competitions, where she remembers destroying the competition year after year. It was her PE teacher at St Mark's, Dee Lunny, who recognized the young girl's amazing talent and encouraged her to sign up for the local athletics club. At age 12, she became a member of the Tallaght Athletic Club, but she did not achieve instantaneous success. She said: When I actually joined the athletics club and I was against other athletes and other fast people, I was like, ‘Oh, I'm not special, like they're all fast as well.’ When I first did my first race in like club division, I wasn't winning, and I wasn't like at the top and I wasn't doing that well. I wasn't used to that because when I was running, playing, chasing and beating boys, like ‘I'm the best thing to ever exist.’ It was very hard to get past that barrier, but I just kept going. I was like, ‘I love this so much. I'm just going to give it the best opportunity and give it my full effort and let's see how it turns out.’”
Adewumi Ademola, mother of Rhasidat Adeleke, hugging Kellie Harrington, the Olympic gold medal-winning boxer, who was named Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year on Dec. 20 last. [Inpho/Tom Maher]
Her hard work paid off and she proved herself to be a prodigy. She won both the 100 -meter and 200-meter dashes at both the Youth and Junior level, including a European Under 18 200m title when she was only 15 years old. She received a track scholarship to the University of Texas where she became in 2023 the first Irish sprinter to win an NCAA title and placed 4th at World Championships in the 400 meters.
Rhasidat waived her final year of NCAA eligibility to go pro in the past year but remained at the University of Texas from which she recently graduated with a degree in Corporate Communications.
Ireland’s Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley after the 4x400 meters final in the Stade de France, at the Paris Olympics in August. [Inpho/Morgan Treacy]
Perhaps her disappointment in not winning a medal in the Paris Olympics will motivate her to medal in the Los Angeles games of 2028. Four years of racing internationally will certainly improve her chances of winning an Olympic medal. One thing is sure. Whenever she runs her massive Irish fanbase is 100 percent behind her.
