IRELAND’S RHASIDAT ADELEKE has missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the Women’s 400m at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The 21-year-old Dubliner clocked a time of 49.28 after another brilliant run at the Stade de France.
Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino won gold in an Olympic record time of 48.17, while Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain and Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek finished second and third respectively.
Adeleke wrote her name into history as the first Irishwoman to compete in a sprint final at the Olympics.
Running from Lane 4, she made a bright start on a wet track as a strong Irish contingent cheered her on.
The Tallaght star moved into medal contention, but was ultimately surpassed by Kaczmarek on the home straight and fell short of her personal best of 49.07. It was another fourth-place finish following last August’s World Championships.
Fourth for Rhasidat in a time of 49.28. She was pipped to the bronze medal by Poland’s Natalia Kazcmarek. Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic won gold and set a new Olympic record with a time of 48.17, ahead of by Bahraini sprinter Salwa Eid Naser. #RTEsport #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/37rE5ay4IN
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 9, 2024
“I don’t know,” a disappointed Adeleke told RTÉ’s David Gillick as she tried to find the words afterwards.
“Honestly, happy to be healthy. I gave it my all out there and tonight wasn’t meant to be. I just hope there is so much more to come in the future.
“I was just trying to stay in contention. I wasn’t fazed too much as to where I was in the race. I just wanted to make sure I executed my own race and didn’t follow anyone else. It is what it is, I just have to move forward with it.”
“Absolutely, it was [tough],” she added. “I don’t think it was anything beyond what I could do. I just feel like it wasn’t meant to be today, and that’s okay. I’ll move on, I’m so grateful for everyone’s support along the way.
“With all the Irish fans in the stadium, it felt like home. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to give them a medal but hopefully in the future.”
Adeleke is expected to round out her first Olympic Games in the 4x400m women’s relay final tomorrow night.
Congratulations. Wow. You have done yourself, Tallaght, and Ireland proud.
A better run from her. Still only 21, at least 2 more Olympics in her hopefully.
Her time would have won bronze in Tokyo, & gold in Rio, London & Bejing. A stacked race & a brilliant run from her, she did us proud!
@Martin O Keeffe: great point
Jesus that was some race by her. 4th at her age against a field that strong is something else. We’ll say nothing about Naser and her history.
Really thought she was going to hang on, but wasn’t to be. What an amazing run from her though.
I think it panned out exactly as most of us thought it would after the semis. Once the pole was within striking distance her strength was always going to win the day. Hopefully she stays fit and healthy for next Olympics. No guarantees however.
@Ray Ridge: donkey.
@Cian O: The Donkey called the gold, silver and bronze pre race. Some Donkey all right.
@Ray Ridge: she did her best and her best was fourth best this Olympics.
@Ray Ridge: Couldnt be but proud of her. 21 years of age, only turned pro in September and moved to Texas. She was just bet by steet wise more mature athlete. What about the interview afterwards a real lady and what about David Gillick folks couldnt have been interviewed by a nicer guy.
@Darren Murphy: Absolutely. Agree 100%.
@Ray Ridge: that would be insult to donkeys
@Darren Murphy: David Gillick has been amazing, his interviewing techniques are excellent, I wonder does he have any interest in football, would be an upgrade to Tony O’Donaghue!
@Ray Ridge: you are a donkey…you’re trying to claim credit for predicting that the two world champions and European champion in the field finished first second and third. That’s like claiming you’re an all seeing God for predicting the sun would rise in the east and set in the west. You couldn’t just congratulate her and recognize how amazing the achievement was…you had to throw in a negative ending to the message as usual. You actually can’t help yourself, you’re obsessed.
@Tony McGrath: I guess I’ve offended more than one or two at that rate!
@anthony davoren: Even a broken Ray can be right twice a day
@Francis Wallace: RTE will do well to hold onto him. No airs and graces with the guy. He comes across as someone you could tell anything after meeting him for 5 minutes.
@Ray Ridge: yawn.
Keep it going, it’ll happen
@Warren Conlon Grant: she’ll be running mid to low 48 seconds in a couple of years hopefully with right conditioning and coaching. The raw material is there
Amazing result in a premier sprint completion well done. Nasser ahead of her has skipped drugged tests and a shady past, all you need to know really and perhaps robbed of a medal
@Roy Butler: wow, a shady past for sure, but the Irish girl is sponsored by the same sponsors of the Oregon Project, all you need to know really, more shady pasts
She done us proud 4th beaten by world champions she be faster in LA
@Square: all the athletes did themselves proud no matter where they finished. Sarah Lavin did us proud too, why not all the acclaim and cheers and commenting for her? Is it only the ones that get to finals are deserving of everyone’s applauds
Brilliant performance. Thank you.
Great run young lady. Its all ahead of you. David Gillick should get a medal for his interviews.
@Michael Carroll: I agrée, brillant and Rob, Derval in studio, top class analysis. A rare case where RTÉ get it right
Still a superstar
At some point she may be bumped up to bronze if the silver medalist, who has just finished a 2 year ban for avoiding drug tests, and came out of nowhere, gets caught (she may of course be innocent).
It was a great attempt. Relay?
@PatN: USA and The Netherlands are nailed on for gold and silver. If there’s such a thing in relays. Bronze up for grabs.
@Ray Ridge: netherlands are beatable jamaica uk more of a worry usa first jamaica second and 5 teams can win bronze opps 6 even
@Square: The Netherlands would have to drop 2 battens not to medal. They will be silver more than likely.
@Ray Ridge: didnt u see the race today ireland with them at the finish and RA to come in will beat them wont beat usa jamaica
@Ray Ridge: how are USA nailed on? They’ve no 400m runner as good as Adeleke.
@Michael Corkery: it’s a relay Michael.
@Ray Ridge: Netherlands beaten by Ireland in the Europeans, no?
Super run. Did us proud.
Pity she didn’t manage a pb, but pretty close.
Her time will come
I’ll probably get reported or whatever but…
Cheats
Not Rhas
@gary donlan: what ya mean there Gary?
@WqM9AAv3: She’ll end up with a medal after the testing is finalised!
@Stephen Hutchinson: After watchin it i would have doubts 1st and 2nd are clean. Adeleke will probably be given bronze in 10 years time.
@WqM9AAv3: Naser is not long back from a doping suspension.
@Stephen Hutchinson: who knows, I’ve heard about the Oregon project sponsored by a big brand who actually sponsors the fourt placed lady so who knows what may happen
Brilliant from the girl. Done Ireland proud.
Sickener to finish 4th, especially with the silver medalist. She is only 21 and nowhere near her peak. Looking forward to seeing her continuing to improve over the coming years.
At least she has the relay with the girls as an immediate opportunity to make amends.
Clearly, a support team issue with our middle distance runners who have all tightened up massively in the final 100m of their events. Rhasidat peaked at the Euro’s. She’s not got within 1/10th of a second of her time in June. A well prepared athlete should be hitting Personal or Season’s best at a major Championship. This is just mismanagement of a possibly Bolt standard athlete…
Based on her demeanour and comments, she is v disappointed. Telling her this is brilliant 4th is patronising. There is no such thing. This was a disappointing outcome. She is good enough and should have claimed the bronze from the Pole. I understand the platitudes but when you look back on the pre Olympic narrative this is a let down. After the euros it was all about her training getting her to medal conditions etc. Her coach will not be happy. Commendable effort but target not fulfilled. 4 years is a long time. The curse of that stadium on the Irish endures.
It’s a learning curve. Personally i thought she had a great chance of a medal. But she is young. So Los Angeles in her back yard if i am not mistaken. Texes isn’t far away lol.
She’s a definite contender , will medal in 4 years time no doubt.
She’s seriously impressive at just 21. Expect her to be in contention in four years time if she continues in this vein.
Just proved at 19 years shy is simply world Class
@Patrick McNamara: She’s 21, not 19. She has the potential to be a World Leading sprinter, but she’s being convinced to only focus on 400m by a NCAA coach who needed a 400m runner for his Texas Uni team to have a chance to win USA Collegiate Championship…