Who is Rhasidat Adeleke? Five things to know about the 400m Olympics star

Ireland has been abuzz about Rhasidat Adeleke for a couple of years now, ever since she won two gold medals at the European Athletics U20 Championship in Tallinn in 2021. As she prepares for the 400m Olympics semi-final, let’s look at what we know about this world-class athlete

Rhasidat Adeleke. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Dominant display

In her first Olympics outing on August 5, 2024 Rhasidat coasted to victory in her heat, clocking a time of 50.09, even as she eased up in the last 50m. Those following Rhasidat’s progress wouldn’t have been surprised by her dominant display, she has been quietly getting on with business during the runup to the Olympics, aside from a thrilling turn during June’s European Championships where she won individual 400m silver, and a gold medal in the 4x400m mixed relay.