Rhasidat Adeleke returns to speciality at Oslo Diamond League meeting

The 22-year-old will race her first 400m of the season in a field featuring Natalia Bukowiecka and Amber Anning. 

Rhasidat Adeleke's main focus this year is September's World Championships in Tokyo. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

For Rhasidat Adeleke, it’s time to return to her speciality. The 22-year-old Dubliner will race her first 400m of the year at the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday evening, facing a strong field that includes Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka, who edged her to the European title in Rome last year and to the Olympic bronze medal in Paris.

Like most athletes this year, Adeleke has taken a patient approach to this part of the season, given there are over three months left until the World Championships in Tokyo. She blew off the racing cobwebs in April and May, clocking 22.57 and 22.72 for 200m and helping Ireland to World Championship qualification when running the mixed and women’s 4x400m at the World Relays in China.

As she said after finishing second over 200m at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League: “It’s really different and I’m trying to remember that because sometimes I compare myself to where I was last year or in college. But I’m in a whole different training cycle, a whole different race cycle, so I need to trust the plan and keep my eyes on the World Championships.” 

She has put a big emphasis on speed endurance this year, laying a foundation of training that she hopes will bear fruit in the latter part of the 400m. “I used to be amazing out of the blocks, probably first off the bend, but I’m in that transition period, working on what’s really going to help my 400m,” she said.

Thursday's race will give a key window into how that project is evolving, with the field also including world indoor champion Amber Anning, who finished just behind Adeleke in the Olympic final.

Oslo Diamond League: Live, Virgin Media Two/BBC Three, 7pm