Irish track sensation Rhasidat Adeleke and her three teammates, Julien Alfred, Lanae-Tava Thomas and Dina Asher-Smith set a new 4x200m world relay time at the 96th edition of the Texas Relays on Saturday, 30 March 2024 - smashing a long-standing world record time.
Setting A New World Record
Having been on a scholarship at the University of Texas since 2021, Adeleke opted to turn professional, earning an invitational spot for the Texas Relays. Adeleke ran the second leg as a part of the quartet on her home track at the University of Texas while Alfred’s anchor leg of 20.8 matched Marion Jones with the all-time fastest anchor leg ever ran.
Here’s the 4x200m WR race from Texas Relays. Dina Asher-Smith, Rhasidat Adeleke, Lanae-Tava Thomas & Julien Alfred clocked 1:27.05 to smash the previous WR of 1:27.46!!!
It’s not the best angle, but it’s the best footage there is at the moment.
🎥 Texas Track Dad Podcast (YT) pic.twitter.com/9jOtkip8Vz— Owen M (@_OwenM_) March 30, 2024
The team ran with a time of 1.27.05, surpassing the previous world record by a mere 0.4 seconds. The former record, set by a US team back at an event at Penn State University in 2000 with a time of 1.27.46, had stood unbroken for over two decades.
Last year, Adeleke and her team came close to breaking the record when they achieved a time of 1.28.05 in Austin, securing second place overall. Notably, three of today's four runners participated in that event, with Dina Asher-Smith stepping in for Kevona Davis.
Why It Will Not Be Recognised As An Offical New WR
Despite their remarkable achievement, technicalities in the sport dictate that their record-breaking time won't be officially recognized, as all team members must represent the same nationality to qualify for the World Record. Adeleke's teammates all hail from different countries: Dina Asher-Smith is the fastest British woman on record, recent World Indoor champion Julien Alfred is from Saint Lucia and Lanae-Tava Thomas is a Jamaican sprinter. According to LHN commentators, because "they're not all the same nationalities, it's [the race] going to be a world best but it won't be a world record."
Looking Ahead For Adeleke
Adeleke's trajectory from Tallaght to the global stage has been nothing short of remarkable. She clinched NCAA championships with the University of Texas in 2022 and 2023, holds national records in both indoor and outdoor 200m and 400m races and is currently signed with Nike as a professional athlete.
A WORLD BEST of 1:27.05 for a star-studden 4x200m relay team.
Lanae-Tava Thomas
Julien Alfred
Dina Asher-Smith
Rhasidat Adeleke
While this better's the official WR held by the USA since 2000 (1:27.46) it''s not a WR since the athletes represent different countries.
FAST! pic.twitter.com/owlH2cdRGN— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) April 1, 2024
The 21-year-old is currently in her final year at the University of Texas and has already set new Irish records over 60m and 200m indoors this year. Adeleke decided to skip the World Indoor Championships after a subpar performance at the Millrose Games in New York in February. Dealing with a minor ankle issue, which she had rolled ahead of a previous race, Adeleke opted to focus on her recovery and prepare for the upcoming season.
Her next appearance in an Irish jersey will be in the Bahamas in early May, where she will join the women's 4x400m team in their quest for Olympic qualification. Additionally, Adeleke has expressed her aspirations to compete at the European Championships in Rome in June, ahead of the Paris Olympics later this summer.
