Aside from her generational talent, if there’s one thing that can be said for famed Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke it’s that she’s very proud of the place she’s from, and the people that have shaped her along the way.
That reality was unquestionably on show yesterday, as she took the time to pay an emotional tribute to her former coach, Johnny Fox, who passed away recently.
Johnny Fox, the much-loved coach at Tallaght AC, who coached Rhasidat Adeleke to the European U18 200m title in 2018, has passed away.
📸 Frank McGrath pic.twitter.com/fyhKx6ahSD— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) April 15, 2024
The Tallaght AC man would have worked with Adeleke from the age of 10 and played a big role in helping her to the European U18 200m title in 2018.
That’s a memory that will now never stray far from Adeleke’s mind.
“It's just a really hard pill to swallow,” she reflects, speaking on the passing of Fox.
“It was really upset to hear that this morning…He was such a staple individual in my life. He definitely shaped me and helped how I view things - he just shaped me as a person.
"I knew he had felt sick a little bit. I was just continuously praying that he was going to be fine. Johnny is just so resilient. If you ever met him, he'll always tell you the stories of what he's been through in his life. You'll just think, 'Wow, how can one person go through so much?'
"He just always comes out at the end of it, always has a smile on his face and he always gives joy and puts joy into other people. He just invests himself so much in other people and he's so passionate. He's just so selfless. He's an amazing, amazing man and it was just really, really sad to not even have the opportunity to see him in his last couple of days.”
RIP Johnny Fox - Tallaght AC Coach and Tireless Volunteer 😔
The Athletics Ireland Community is saddened by news of the passing of Johnny Fox, who for many years was a coach and tireless volunteer at Tallaght Athletic Club🌟https://t.co/ktb9nU5jjA pic.twitter.com/B489ITa7uX— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) April 15, 2024
As she recalls, his impact spread far beyond just her own career, but the lives of many people around the local area too.
"I've just been thinking about all our times together and all the different experiences that we've had - and his effect on not just my life but the whole community,” she says.
“If you go down to Tallaght, everybody knows Johnny and what he's done for the community, working with Tallaght AC for over 50 years, Pieta House, he's just done so many things.
"He was just a staple in our community, and he won't be ever forgotten. I just hope God rests his soul."
It’s not as if Rhasidat Adeleke needed to add any more fuel to her already exceptional fire, but this may well equip her with another gear heading into an exciting outdoor season, which will feature the European Championships, World Relays, the Olympic Games and more.
"It's really exciting. I love putting on the Irish vest, there's just something about it, representing your country. It's not something that I ever take for granted. It's something that I definitely treasure and I look forward to ever since I started running,” she says.
“Any time I do put it on, it's an honour. I just can't wait to be putting on the uniform, and not just doing it for myself and my country, doing it for my team-mates, making sure that we put ourselves in good contention to qualify for the Olympics. I'm just really, really excited.”
