'I'm going back to basics': Rhasidat Adeleke means business after storming to 200m semi win
BACK IN BUSINESS: Rhasidat Adeleke celebrates after winning her women’s 200m semi-final. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile.
She’s back. And she means business.
Rhasidat Adeleke not alone stormed to victory in her 200m semi-final, her 22.43 clocking moved the 23-year-old into Thursday’s European final as the second fastest qualifier.
458 days since she last donned a green suit and 733 days since she last competed individually for Ireland, Adeleke’s return to the major championship arena was restorative and rejuvenated.
Her immediate reaction and spilling of emotion upon hitting the finish line spoke to a return of the Adeleke who sparkled and smiled before injuries ruined her last two years.
“That is part of me having fun,” she said.
“Previous championships and Europeans, it was kind of like, I am supposed to make the final, why should I celebrate that? I am supposed to medal, I am supposed to win, these are things that I expect.
“Now, not that my standards have changed, but my perspective has changed. I am enjoying the moments that I used to dream about as a young girl, such as being at Europeans, making a European final, winning my semi-final.
“I am just going back to basics and having fun with it. That’s really been my mindset the last couple of weeks. I think when things are not going well, you completely forget who you are. I completely forgot who I was. I forgot the things I could do. I think I let the internal pressure consume me.”
The gains from this mindset flip have been accelerated by being based on home soil since returning for nationals at the end of last month.
“It has been amazing being back [in Ireland]. Martina [McCarthy], Ciara [McCallion], everybody in the Sport Ireland Institute, Athletics Ireland, who has been taking care of me the last couple of weeks, we have made monumental changes and we’ve fixed in the short period we have had things that I knew I was weak in and things that I really couldn’t do and focus on while I was injured. I am just really happy that I have been able to come out here and show the form I knew I could be in.
“When I was setting up my blocks, just hearing them all cheer for me, I was like, these people know who you are because of the amazing things you have done in the past, and you are still that person and you can still do those things.”
Competing in green over 200m for the first time since she won European U20 gold in July of 2021, Adeleke’s season’s best time strongly positions her for a medal tilt in Thursday’s final.
The semi-final’s quickest performer and 100m champion Amy Hunt goes in as favourite, while two more Brits, Dina Asher-Smith and Success Eduan, will also challenge alongside Adeleke.
Drawn in lane 6, Hunt will be in her direct line of sight as she starts from lane 7.
With the final scheduled for 9.50pm, 22 minutes after Mark English’s 800m final, it has the potential for a green night in Birmingham.
“We’ll find out,” replied Adeleke when asked if she felt there was more there than her semi-final 22.43, which is just a click outside her 2023 PB of 22.34.
Elsewhere, Nicola Tuthill finished fifth in the hammer throw final, her highest ever major championship placing. Twice throwing 70m-plus, her fourth attempt of 70.33 went farthest.
The 72.88 bronze medal throw of Norway’s Beatrice Nedberge Llano was just beyond Tuthill’s lifetime best of 72.73 from June.
“Obviously, fifth in Europe is insane,” said the Kilbrittain native, who at 22 was the youngest of the 12 finalists.
“I know on my day, my PB was really, really close to what was bronze. I think a lot of girls in the field are going to say the same thing. Everyone is a competitor, and everyone wants that medal, and on the day it just wasn't there.
“I still outperformed my ranking, so I have to be happy with that. I think me being that tiniest bit disappointed is a really positive thing because I haven't achieved what I want to. I am so hungry for more.
“Two years ago, I was 9th at Europeans, and this time I was fifth. So, moving in the right direction, and every year you're gathering that experience.” Gathering consistency too. In all nine competitions this year, she launched the hammer out beyond the 70m paint.
“A really positive step in the right direction considering consistency is key, and this season I've been really consistent, so that gives me encouragement going into the winter training block which I will have in a few weeks after my rest.”
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