Rhasidat Adeleke does the necessary to reach Olympic final

FINAL-BOUND: Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke is through to the 400m final. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Rhasidat Adeleke finished second in her 400m semi-final at the Stade de France in Paris on Wednesday evening, the 21-year-old Dubliner clocking 49.95 behind 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain (49.08).

Drawn in lane eight, Adeleke got off to a strong start, just as she did in her heat, and was swiftly closing down the stagger on Jamaica’s Junelle Bromfield in the lane outside her. 

She passed Bromfield down the back straight and hit the final bend in close contention with Naser, but was no match for the 2019 world champion down the home straight and tied up over the last 50m.

By finishing second, Adeleke secured one of two automatic spots in Friday’s final, with Norway’s Henriette Jaeger third in 50.17.

Adeleke becomes the first Irish athlete ever to make an Olympic final in a flat sprint event, and the first Irishwoman ever to reach an Olympic sprint final. The final takes place at 7pm Irish time on Friday.