Rhasidat Adeleke: 'A little cheat meal at the end of the week isn't the end of the world'

At just 21 years of age, Rhasidat Adeleke is one of Ireland’s leading athletes. She currently holds Irish records at 60m, 200m, 300m and 400m indoors and at 200m, 300m and 400m outdoors. Here, she talks through a typical Saturday

Rhasidat Adeleke: 'I come home to Ireland about twice a year. I miss my friends and family but I talk to them a lot on the phone'

Rhasidat Adeleke currently lives and studies in Austin, Texas. 

After her 4th place success at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Rhasidat made the decision to turn professional and qualified for the Paris Olympics.

7.00

I normally get up at 7am, I pray and then I make breakfast. Religion is important to me. 

I usually have eggs for breakfast, either scrambled or omelette style with spinach and mushrooms and lots of good stuff. Then I have avocado toast with orange juice. 

I try to make sure I’m putting the right things in my body, that I have the right fuel and the right amount of fuel to get me through my hard training sessions.

I don’t live on campus anymore — I live in an apartment so I usually cook for myself during the week. On weekends I might eat out.

The only time I don’t cook for myself is if I really, really don’t feel like cooking and I don’t have any meal prep done. 

If I eat out it’s usually in healthy restaurants and I’ll have something like chicken and beans.

10.00

My favourite spot to eat out would probably be North Italia. They have really good pasta and pizza as well as beautiful scenery and a great atmosphere. They have a few locations in Austin, Texas.

The closest one is about a four-minute drive from my place.

I train every Saturday unless we have a competition, but Sundays are always free so that’s nice. 

I do a lot of travelling for competitions — it can be tiring depending on how long or seamless the journey is — when we flew to Monaco for the Diamond Leagues last year we had about three delays so a trip that was supposed to be seamless turned into an epic journey.

If it’s just a short flight it’s no problem, but the longer journeys can take a toll.

12.00

I don’t really hang out with friends during the week — it’s mostly virtual - calling and texting. I’m usually pretty tired after training so I’ll come home, eat, sleep and recover.

I don’t drink alcohol at all and I try to eat things that are good for me, so if it’s a little cheat meal at the end of the week, maybe a pizza or something, it’s not the end of the world. 

My nutritionist says that it’s important to still be happy and enjoy my time out and not to have to eat broccoli and spinach every time I have a meal!

I like to see my friends or chill and watch Netflix, go for a stroll downtown by the river or read. I love reading, it’s so relaxing.

Last year I got really into Colleen Hoover [the Texan Young Adult and New Adult best-selling author] and read four or five of her books in a row.

I watched Grown-ish on Disney+ — it’s good casual viewing, it’s not so serious that you have to pay close attention to it and it’s funny too. I usually stick it on in the background when I’m making breakfast.

15.00

Rhasidat Adeleke: 'While I have to make sure that I’m putting the right fuel in my body there is still space for a bit of flexibility'

If I don’t have a specific event on, I usually just see where Saturday takes me.

Most of my friends are not involved in sport — they’re other students that I met in class, at events or through various organisations.

Where I live is definitely urban but I can still access nature easily with lots of parks and the lake near my home. 

It’s really nice to go for a stroll and appreciate the sun shining all the time.

I come home to Ireland about twice a year. I miss my friends and family but I talk to them a lot on the phone.

17.00

Sometimes I’ll go out to eat on a Saturday but if I’m already at home I’ll probably just eat there. 

While I have to make sure that I’m putting the right fuel in my body there is still space for a bit of flexibility — it’s all about the balance. I am training so much that it’s going to burn off anyway.

Monday we have hard sessions; Tuesday we have a weight session at 6am and training after class in the afternoon; Wednesday is active recovery; Thursdays are the same as Tuesday with two training sessions and on Friday we have a hard session after class.

Saturday we either compete or have training.

19.00

I usually go out for dinner or to a little get-together with friends where we’ll watch movies and hang out. 

Having a hectic social life is not really a priority for me at the moment.

22.30

I try to be in bed by 10.30pm or, if I don’t have to get up too early, before 11pm.

Some nights I’ll sleep better than others depending on how tired I am. 

I like to read in bed as it helps me to wind down. I love having an actual book in my hand — reading from paper and not on my phone!

• Rhasidat Adeleke helped launch SPAR’s Rome Comforts campaign which offers one shopper the chance to win a VIP experience to the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome. 
• Details of the campaign and how to enter the competition can be found on spar.ie or @SPAR_Ireland on Instagram.

This article was first published on April 27,2024