The last Irish sprint record not already held by Rhasidat Adeleke was shattered in 11.13 seconds, sparking a wave of celebration and admiration reminiscent of the historic days at Morton Stadium in Santry.
At the 152nd National Track and Field Championships, anticipation was at an all-time high. All eyes were on Adeleke as she prepared to face Sarah Lavin, who had set the previous 100 meters record at 11.27 seconds. Lavin’s record was widely believed to be temporary, and Adeleke did not disappoint.
Just recently, the 21-year-old from Tallaght took to her blocks, burst from the start, and completed the race in a blazing 11.13 seconds, bringing Ireland closer to breaking the 11-second barrier. This achievement cemented Adeleke’s status as the fastest woman in Ireland.
“I think that was the most special, not even the national record, but the appreciation from everyone who was cheering my name,” said Adeleke. Surrounded by enthusiastic fans, she added, “Honestly, I don’t remember there being so many people at Nationals, but I absolutely love it. It just shows how much our sport has grown, and hopefully over the next few years we’ll be able to completely pack out the stadium.”
The conditions in Santry were ideal for sprinting, with a slight 0.7m/s tailwind. Adeleke’s performance was a masterclass in speed, as she surged down the track to win, with Lavin following in second place at 11.37 seconds.
This race was not just a milestone in Adeleke’s sprinting career but also a warm-up for her main event, the 400 meters, ahead of the Paris Olympics. Adeleke, buoyed by one of the largest crowds in decades, jogged back down the track to receive their applause, underscoring her growing popularity and the expanding interest in Irish athletics.
Mark English, Thomas Barr, and Sophie O’Sullivan also made notable contributions to the championships. However, Adeleke remained the standout athlete.
Reflecting on her performance, she said, “Having them all cheer me on when they called my name at the start I was like, ‘I want to put on a show and do something special.’ I think I got out okay, and I always blur out in the 100m, but that was the one record I was waiting for. And to be able to achieve it here, saving the 100m for in front of my home crowd, is just amazing.”
Adeleke’s record-breaking journey began six years ago when she set the Irish Youth 200m record with a time of 23.80 seconds. Since then, she has amassed 52 Irish records across various distances and age groups, including her recent 400m record of 49.07 seconds at the European Championships in Rome.
Lavin, at 30, had achieved a remarkable feat last summer by breaking Phil Healy’s Irish 100m record. Despite facing tough competition, she secured her 16th national title in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.79 seconds, despite the challenging weather conditions.
In a race for third place, Mollie O’Reilly narrowly edged out Gina Apke-Moses, with both clocking 11.61 seconds. It was a significant comeback for Apke-Moses, who had previously won a 4x100m silver alongside Adeleke, Scott, and Neville.
Adeleke praised her competitors, saying, “Yeah, It was such a stacked race too, so many amazing women in the field. We kind of grew up racing each other, and to have all of us back here, and to put on the performances we put on today, it’s amazing, because it’s not often you’ll see 11.1 winning a National Championships. It just shows how much we’ve developed, and we’re all going to keep getting better, and really excited to see that.”
Following this achievement, Adeleke will head to a training camp in Sweden, then participate in Diamond League races in Monaco and London before focusing on the 400m in Paris. With the reigning Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo out due to injury, the 400m event is set for a new champion, and Adeleke is poised to be a strong contender.
