As one of Ireland’s most hyped hopes in the lead up to this summer’s Paris Olympic Games, sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke is happy to lie low over in America and focus on the thing she loves most - running.
Speaking today on the announcement of her partnership with KMPG, the 21 year old says it helps that in The States, where she’s currently completing her degree, she feels as if she’s “just like a small fish in a big pond” of amazing athletes.
With the Irish records at 60m, 200m, 300m and 400m indoors and at 200m, 300m and 400m outdoors to her name, that’s some minimisation of the fish, especially seeing as she says herself, perceptions are changing around athletics in this country.
@rhasidatadeleke is one of Ireland’s most exciting athletes and we’re proud to announce our new partnership with her today. Rhasidat joins forces with Irish golfer, @leona_maguire and Irish jockey, @rachaelblackmor as KPMG Ambassadors. Discover more: https://t.co/oRKkybOhPu pic.twitter.com/SYNu52rHoc
— KPMG Ireland (@KPMG_Ireland) March 6, 2024
“When you see an Irish singlet, that’s a threat. It’s really good because sometimes we’re kind of looked at as a smaller nation, but I think people are starting to see Ireland can be very competitive on a European and a World stage and I really love that for us,” she says.
“I just try to look at it as a positive thing. I know it might seem scary or seem pressurised, but at the end of the day it’s only if you let it get to you and if you see it as a negative thing.
“Expectation is sometimes a good thing, people believe in you and you can do good things.”
That belief could certainly be felt at the Indoor World Championships last week, which Rhasidat Adeleke was not present at, choosing to continue training instead.
In her absence though, the 4x400m relay made the world final, and, somewhat controversially, Sharlene Mawdsley fell just short of the 400m single final in her own right upon disqualification.
That decision which Adeleke describes as “very unfortunate and very unlucky.”
“She deserved to be in the final,” she says.
“I feel that is so normal in indoor running, I seen a couple a couple of comments saying that they were picking and choosing when they wanted to apply that rule so I just feel like she shouldn’t have been disqualified for that.”
Confirmation today that Rhasidat Adeleke has committed to the Irish relay squad for the world relays in Bahamas in May. Top 14 in each event qualifies for Paris. Should mean Ireland qualify in the women’s and mixed 4x400m events 🇮🇪🏃🏿♀️
— Dodge (@seidodge) March 6, 2024
Elsewhere though, Rhasidat Adeleke feels the competition really showed where Ireland were at, although she doesn’t have any regrets about not going.
“It was so exciting,” she says, having kept up with the competition on social media.
“It was just amazing to see like we can really get up there to be medal contenders. Ireland is always known for distance and stuff but we’re definitely a force to be reckoned with in the relays now…it’s becoming consistent now,” she says.
“It’s playing well for me [not having gone].
“I’m going to be ready for when I need to be ready. My coach was telling me to focus on the bigger goal. We are working towards something bigger.”
That something bigger is just a matter of months away now, and with outdoor season approaching, everyone will have their eyes peeled to see how the Tallaght woman continues to progress up until then.
2nd fastest leg in the whole 4x400m final by @sharlenem229 (50:47!) and 5th place by Ireland women - ya love to see it esp with @rhasidatadeleke to come into the mix this summer #WorldIndoorChamps #teamireland pic.twitter.com/qtTNdwVasu
— clíona foley (@ponyyelof) March 3, 2024
