During our discussion, the topic shifted specifically to Paris and the impending Olympics. Rhasidat Adeleke is all too aware of how rapidly these games are fast approaching, stating, “I believe that time is constantly flying.” Consequently, her focus is increasingly sharpening towards Paris.
In over five months’ time, when reflecting on the Paris Olympics, what would Adeleke deem a success?
Unhesitatingly, she responds, “A medal.”
Upon being asked the preferable colour, there is a pause before she articulates: “Gold, I believe everyone desires a gold medal.”
Adeleke is as cheerful and lively as ever during the interview, conducted via Zoom from her Texas-based training centre in Austin. It’s clear that the final stages of preparation for her 400 metres race in Paris are already underway.
She will kickstart her outdoor season at the renowned Texas Relays later this month and participate in the World Relays in the Bahamas in May to aid the Irish team in securing their Olympic qualification. She will then contemplate participating in several activities at the European Championships in Rome in early June.
While demonstrating her record-breaking form in 60m, 200m, and 300m races, Adeleke acknowledges her previous apprehension about missing the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow last weekend. She is comforted by the fast-approaching competitions.
She explains, “The decision was uncertain because I was still involved in a rigorous training schedule. However, my coach [Edrick Floreal] and I agreed that it is more worthwhile to continue training and add on more work rather than taking a few weeks off to taper.”
She adds, “The outdoor season commences quite rapidly; we have the Texas Relays and other upcoming meets, so our goal is to prepare as much as possible for the season, continue with the heavy workload until tapering becomes necessary for the successive meets due to occur over the summer.”
The interview takes place exactly one year after Adeleke secured the second position in the 400m at the NCAA Indoor Championships. This defeat spurred her to step up her game for the outdoor season, and she did precisely that by bagging the NCAA outdoor title in June with an impressive Irish 400m record of 49.20 seconds.
Despite the significantly advanced competition since her last win, with Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas and runner up Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic still in contention, Adeleke remains undeterred. Furthermore, American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s prospective presence in the race, and Dutch star Femke Bol focusing on the 400m hurdles, appears to have minimal impact on Adeleke’s resolve.
Currently enrolled at the University of Texas and preparing to graduate with a Corporate Communications degree in May, Adeleke utilised her decision to go pro last summer and the resultant deal with Nike to get access to more specialised training.
She feels the progression of time more acutely as she ages, often taken aback when reminiscing about the past year through photos and memories from her phone. Despite her increased responsibilities, she strives to efficiently manage her time and focus on activities that contribute to her personal and professional growth. The camaraderie she enjoyed with her team in Texas is something she misses, however, not having to drastically adapt to new circumstances, such as a change in state or coach, gives her some comfort.
Adeleke confesses to not closely following the Glasgow track and field events outside of scrutinising the performances of other Irish competitors and her colleagues, evidenced by the fact she’s primarily informed about the races through social posts about Sarah Lavin’s fifth-place finish in the 60m hurdles and the women’s 4x400m replay, not forgetting Sharlene Mawdsley’s disqualification post-qualifying for the 400 metres final.
Rhasidat Adeleke, while speaking at the unveiling of her new alliance with KMPG, narrated her previous season’s experiences. She was deeply affected by the misfortunes of fellow Irish athletes such as Sarah [Healy] and Sharlene. Despite the disappointment, Adeleke praised the relay team’s strong performance and also recognised Sarah Lavin’s contribution. On the whole, she considered the championship to be quite satisfactory.
Adeleke’s resilience was highlighted by her commendable fourth-place finish at the World Championships in Budapest, despite struggling with physical problems last season. In contrast to the previous year’s hardship, Adeleke is now in excellent health. She enjoys her workouts and is generally in high spirits.
However, she recalls an unfortunate event in Albuquerque where she twisted her ankle just a day prior to her individual 400m event. This setback followed her into the Millrose Games in February. It was there that she failed to win the 300m race, losing to Talitha Diggs, a familiar competitor from her college days. While her coach Floreal saw this as an opportunity to pause and reevaluate, Adeleke was disheartened and had wished to compete again in the 300m.
Despite the setbacks, Adeleke used this experience as a stepping stone to learn and grow. Although failing to claim victory in New York was disappointing, she realised that it was part and parcel of sports. Adeleke was confident in her ability and knew she’d have other opportunities to prove her worth. Consequently, all eyes are now set on her performance in Paris.
Alongside Adeleke, prominent Irish golfer Leona Maguire and leading Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore are also KMPG’s sports ambassadors. For other updates, listeners can tune in to the ‘Inside Politics Podcast’. To get push alerts, sign up and have the latest news and analysis delivered to your phone. Keep an eye on The Irish Times via WhatsApp for regular updates.