RHASIDAT ADELEKE BOOKED her place in the final of the women’s 400 metres at the World Championships after a second-place finish in the first of tonight’s three semi-finals.

The 20-year-old, who won her heat over the weekend in a time of 50.8 seconds, delivered another strong finish to come in at 49.87 – scraping ahead of Cynthia Bolingo by just .09 seconds.

Adeleke was one of three sub-50 competitors taking part in the race, along with world number one Marileidy Paulino and Candice McLeod, and the Dubliner needed to repeat that feat in Budapest to make sure she would be in Wednesday’s final.

Paulino joined her after finishing .33 seconds clear with the top two from the remaining semi finals, as well as the two fastest times overall from the non-automatic qualifiers, completing the final line-up.

“I got a bit too slow,” Adeleke told Virgin Media. I was too comfortable for the first 200 [metres] so I had to work really hard for the last 200. It was still a good run, I don’t feel that bad so I know what to change for the final.

“[The legs are] not too bad. Just trying to maintain the form and stay healthy,” she said, adding what lessons she learned from Paulino. “She just got out, consistent in the whole race and I just need to know to use my 200 speed in the first 200 of the race.”

Tipperary’s Sharlene Mawdsley was on track in the second 400m semi-final and her time of 51.78 was good enough for a seventh-place finish.

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