Rhasidat Adeleke takes 100m gold at European U-20 Athletics Championships

The 18-year-old Tallaght sprinter clocked 11.34 to win the women’s 100 metres title with ease

Rhasidat Adeleke after finishing first in the final of the women's 100 metres during day two of the European Athletics U20 Championships at the Kadriorg Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia. Photo by Marko Mumm/Sportsfile

Rising star Rhasidat Adeleke has powered to gold at the European U-20 Athletics Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, the 18-year-old Tallaght sprinter clocking 11.34 to win the women’s 100 metres title with ease.

It’s the first Irish gold at the event since 2017, when Gina Akpe-Moses won the same title.

Adeleke went into the race as favourite but handled the pressure like a seasoned veteran, getting a flying start and leaving her rivals trailing from halfway. 

She powered away from Europe’s fastest teenagers to hit the line well ahead, with Serbia’s Ivana Ilic taking silver in 11.42 and Britain’s Joy Eze third in 11.44.

It was the biggest win of Adeleke’s career, arriving after a season where she has ascended to new heights. She enrolled at the University of Texas on scholarship earlier this year where she is guided by renowned coach Edrick Floreal, with Tallaght’s Daniel Kilgallon guiding her career to that point.

Adeleke went into the race in flying form, having clocked a blazing 11.29 to win the Irish senior 100m title last month and broken the Irish senior 200m record with a blazing 22.96 in May.

After being overlooked for selection on the mixed 4x400m team for the Tokyo Olympics earlier this month, despite clocking the fastest leg by an Irishwoman this year, the European U-20 Championships became the sole focus of her summer.

Adeleke will be back in action later today in the heats of the women’s 200m, where she will hope to advance to tomorrow’s semi-final and final. The 200m final takes place at 4:55pm on Saturday, with a live stream available on the European Athletics website.