RHASIDAT ADELEKE MADE Irish track and field history in Texas on Saturday night, setting a new national record to win the 400m title at the NCAA Championships.
The 20-year-old’s gold is Ireland’s first ever sprint medal at the prestigious US college national championships — and the first track gold since Mary Cullen won the 5000m in 2006.
Adeleke’s time of 49.20 seconds was a new championship record as well as taking more than three-tenths of a second off her Irish 400m record set last month, and is also the 20th fastest time ever run in the women’s 400m.
Pre-race favourite Britton Wilson of Arkansas was second in 49.64 after turning for home side by side with Adeleke, while Nickisha Pryce was third in 50.23.
A NEW MEET RECORD FOR ADELEKE!!!!
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 11, 2023
📺 ESPN2#NCAATF x @TexasTFXC pic.twitter.com/uBRKW7oUCD
“[The race] was kind of a blur,” Adeleke said afterwards. “I just went out trusting myself.
“I just put myself into position coming into the home stretch, and it was the kick at the end, which is something I’ve been doing well all season.”
It was gold on the double for the Tallaght sprinter who earlier helped her University of Texas team-mates to another NCAA title in the 4×100 relay, where they set another new championship record with a winning time of 41.60.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐂𝐊 😮💨🤘@TexasTFXC is the 4x1 Champions with a time of 41.60
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 11, 2023
💻 ESPN+#NCAATF pic.twitter.com/Hi1eno7b1Y
Earlier on Saturday evening, Sophie O’Sullivan — bidding to match her mother, Sonia, in winning an NCAA title — finished 12th in the 1500m final in a time of 4:22.81, while Cork’s Jane Buckley finished 13th in the 5000m final in 16:06.76.
For all the best coverage of sport news and analysis, visit The42.ie
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say