Before the 400m final featuring Rhasidat Adeleke, RTÉ’s correspondents Dave Kelly and Clare MacNamara were getting acquainted with Paris. They ended up encountering numerous figures from Rhasidat’s past including her ex-teachers, coaches and friends who had come to support her at the Stade de France.
Cecil Johnston, a trainer from Tallaght Athletic Club who has mentored Adeleke since her early years, was amazed at her progress. Yet, he gently reminded people not to get carried away with the expectation of medals. “She’s still just 21! She has a whole lifetime in front of her.”
Clare MacNamara had a moment with Adeleke’s mother, Adewumi Ademola, which put things in perspective.
Clare: “How are you coping?”
Adewumi: “I’m managing. It’s a challenge.”
Clare: “Will you be able to watch the final?”
Adewumi: “I will do my best.”
As joyous as it is for parents to observe their offspring in Olympic finals, sitting there witnessing the most significant moment of their child’s life can also be incredibly nerve-wracking.
The deep emotional impact could be seen on Adeleke after the race, when she came fourth in the 400m final, and needed encouragement from her mentor, Cecil, who reminded her, “YOU’RE ONLY 21!”
As for the audience, the introduction to the match by Darragh Maloney had us all buzzing with anticipation. The hope was to see an end to the long-standing Irish medal drought – the last medal win was on the previous Tuesday.
Over a period stretching the last 24 years, wherein Sonia O’Sullivan took home the silver for Ireland in Sydney, Thomas Barr and Alistair Cragg have been the only two Irish athletes to land individual Olympic track finals. After two decades, for the first time, an Irish athlete will secure a place in an Olympic sprint final. Rhasidat Adeleke, the next potential Irish sporting legend hailing from Tallaght, Dublin, is poised to make her mark.
A moving tribute to Adeleke only underscored the remarkable reality that she wasn’t even born, still 23 months away, when Sonia achieved her historic win in Sydney. Adeleke’s journey captured the attention of Marty Morrissey, despite an initial misunderstanding, leading him to Tallaght to meet with her fans and those who have encouraged her journey throughout.
In the studio, the expert panel maintained a degree of reserve in their expectations, unrelated to their Cork origins and Adeleke’s Dublin roots. Sonia summed up the tangible tension; Adeleke certainly deserved her place, but also acknowledged the similar conviction of the seven other contenders. Like Sonia, Derval O-Rourke and Rob Heffernan were tentatively optimistic for a podium finish but worried that overly ambitious goals might leave her out of the medal positions. They thought if she targeted bronze, she might secure it.
At the stadium, Gillick could perfectly balance hope and realism, acknowledging her young age while rooting for a medal. People cheered and waved tricolours as Adeleke entered the stadium and sent us a warm kiss. It was the result of 21 years of dreams and presented a precious opportunity of just 49 seconds to impress all.
“She moves with the grace of a gazelle,” praised Rob pre-race, and as the race unfolded, she seemed to validate his comment. Even though she narrowly missed out on the bronze to the experienced Natalia Kaczmarek, she held her own. Marileidy Paulino secured first, followed by Salwa Eid Naser, fresh from a two-year suspension for evading drug tests.
Greg Allen emphasised that Adeleke’s performance wasn’t underwhelming in the least, considering the exceptional talent of the trio who surpassed her, as well as Paulino’s record-breaking feat at the Olympics. He entwined his comment with a hopeful anticipatory remark, “Bring on LA 28.” However, Derval cautioned that four years might feel like an eon, especially for Adeleke who is just 21.
Sonia recognised her probable disappointment but asserted that she gave her best shot. The others were just superior on the day. Rob added an emotional touch to the commentary, acknowledging their collective disappointment due to Adeleke not securing a medal as they all had high hopes for her. Yet he asserted that she was magnificent and an absolute gem. He highlighted her remarkable contribution to Irish sports and women’s participation, and her inspirational status among young admirers. He acknowledged her disappointment and sorrow but firmly believed that such feelings would only bolster her resilience.
They all seemed hopeful that Adeleke’s fortitude will be on full display in Saturday’s 4x400m relay final. Looking beyond, they foresaw a promising decade awaiting as they continue to see Adeleke’s evolution, an exciting prospect indeed.