Sonia O’Sullivan once referred to it as one of the most dreadful selection decisions in the history of Athletics Ireland, while Edrick Floreal, the head coach at Texas University, called it a catastrophic error. However, Rhasidat Adeleke herself tactfully expressed her disappointment, yet not shock, over her exclusion from the mixed 4x400m relay team for the postponed 2021 Tokyo Olympics, especially given her impressive 50.96 seconds split time in the 400m relay.
Three years have since passed and now Adeleke, aged 21, is an essential member of both the mixed and women’s 4x400m relay teams who are vying for their ticket to the Paris Olympics. They, along with 892 other world-class sprinters from 54 nations, will be competing in the World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas this weekend. It is set to be an exciting and speedy event.
All is simple; to secure a place for Paris, the relay teams must be amongst the top 14 in each of the five relay categories. The final two spots will be determined based on top scores at the end of the qualification timeframe on June 30th.
The first competition, the mixed 4x400m heats, will kick off just past midnight on Saturday (Irish time), followed by the women’s 4x400m heats two hours later. A total of 27 and 30 teams are participating in the women’s and mixed 4x400m events, respectively.
On Saturday evening, the best two teams from each heat will progress to Sunday’s final and simultaneously secure their Paris qualification. The remaining teams will take part in Sunday’s repechage round, in which the best two teams from each heat will also head to Paris. The final arrangements in the final will also decide the lane assignments in the Olympics.
Filled with enthusiasm, Adeleke shared, “I genuinely believe that we have the capability to qualify. I am absolutely thrilled about donning the vest again and demonstrating our potential,” after making it known that she would leave her Texas training camp to join the rest of the Irish squad.
Contesting for more than individual glory, the struggle lies in striving for the entire team, ensuring they secure a spot in the Olympics. After a hiatus from championships, coming back with relays feels refreshing to me, as it guilds me back into the team spirit I adore dearly.
Sharlene Mawdsley plays an integral role in both teams. She, along with the rest of the relay group, underwent a ten-day training stint in Florida before heading to Nassau midweek. Mawdsley, instrumental in assisting Ireland achieve final placements in both relays at the Budapest World Championships last August, finds extra impetus in this contest. Despite being part of the mixed relay group that secured a spot in Tokyo Olympics, she wasn’t chosen to be on the traveling team.
However, as Mawdsley openly discussed last week, the snub, while initially jarring, has fuelled her commitment to the team. Her prior experience, like being part of the women’s team that claimed fifth spot at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March, fuels her ambition. And with resolute confidence in her form, she plans to give her all in both relays on the first day of competition before deciding the steps for the second day.
Unquestionably, Mawdsley is likely to play the anchor role in both events, with Adeleke potentially featuring as the second leg. After a few individual outdoor races earlier in the season, Mawdsley secured the second place at the Mt Sac Relays in California, clocking a commendable 22.61 seconds in the 200 meters and a wind-assisted 10.94 in the 100m.
Joining her in the fight for qualification is Thomas Barr, who opted to channel his efforts into this, just as he did for Tokyo. The men’s team is rounded up by Cillin Greene, Jack Raftery, and Christopher O’Donnell, while Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, Róisín Harrison, Lauren Cadden, and Rachal McCann make up the remainder of the women’s team.