LAST UPDATE | Jul 16th 2021, 5:44 PM
IT HAS been a day to remember for Rhasidat Adeleke.
The Tallaght AC athlete has won a gold medal for Ireland at the European U20 Championships, running a time of 11.34 in the 100m in Tallinn. Dublin-born Adeleke powered home in first place ahead of Serbia’s Ivana Ilic (11.42) and Britain’s Joy Eze (11.44), who took silver and bronze respectively.
Adeleke also later won her 200m heat by almost half a second, waltzing into the semi-finals with a time of 23.20.
The 18-year-old had already previously impressed in the competition.
Yesterday, she was the fastest qualifier across all six heats with a time of 11.37 seconds, before subsequently progressing from her semi-final after clocking 11.38.
Adeleke is not the first Irish athlete in recent times to win gold at the event, with Gina Akpe-Moses also achieving that feat in the summer of 2017.
It's gold for Ireland! 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 16, 2021
Rhasidat Adeleke storms to the women's 100m title at the European U20 Championships in Tallinn! 🥇#Tallinn2021 pic.twitter.com/4Mx4Occ6Ni
Clear daylight for @rhasidatadeleke as she adds @EuroAthletics U20 100m GOLD 🥇 to her U18 title. Got away from the blocks really well and was never in doubt! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 #Tallinn2021 @irishathletics pic.twitter.com/IQyuXzBNoX
— David Gillick (@DavidGillick) July 16, 2021
Elsewhere this evening, Tokyo-bound Robert McDonell of Galway City Harriers also cruised through his 200m with a victory, advancing to tomorrow’s semi-final in 21.16.
Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers), Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club) and Callum Morgan (St. Malachy’s AC) all lined out in the men’s 5000m final. Casey finished sixth in 14.40.74, Laadjel was 11th in 14.50.07, and Morgan 21st place in 15.15.52.
Nicola Tuthill (Bandon AC) threw a 54.78m best in the Hammer for 14th place in Group A qualifying, though the 17-year-old did not advance
Eoin Quinn (Mullingar Harriers AC), Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers AC) and Alan Miley (St L O’Toole AC) contested the 800m, 1500m and 400m hurdle heats respectively, while Maeve O’Neill (Doheny AC) bowed out in the 800m semi-finals.
Read more here >
- Updated with details of Adeleke’s 200m heat and other Irish competitors.