Rhasidat Adeleke misses out on a medal in 400m final

Dubliner gave it her all but finished fourth in Paris

Rhasidat Adeleke of Team Ireland reacts after finishing fourth in the women's 400m final at the Stade de France. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke left everything on the track in Paris but missed out on a medal in the Olympic 400m final.

It was going to take a personal best from the Dubliner to make the podium but she hit the line in fourth place, at 49.28. 

Gold went to Marileidy Paulino of Dominican Republic in an Olympic record of 48.17, with Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser taking silver in 48.53 and Natalia Kaczmarek winning bronze in 48.98.

Rhasidat Adeleke of Team Ireland, centre, on her way to finishing fourth. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The 21-year-old was bidding to win Ireland's first Olympic medal on the track since Leeside legend Sonia O’Sullivan’s Olympic 5000m silver in Sydney back in 2000.

By even getting to the final, Adeleke was the first Irish female sprinter to make an Olympic final. 

And the first athlete to make a final in a flat sprint event in 100 years of Ireland competing at the Games.

She will now join the Irish women's relay team on Saturday night when they contest the 4x400m final. Cork's Phil Healy helped them finish third in their heat, alongside Sophie Becker, Kelly McGrory and Sharlene Mawdsley