On Day 14 of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the spotlight shone brightly on Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke as she made history by becoming the first Irish woman to compete in an Olympic sprint final. The 21-year-old from Tallaght, Dublin, took to the Stade de France track for the women’s 400 meters final, a significant milestone in her burgeoning athletic career. Adeleke's journey to the final was marked by impressive performances, including a second-place finish in her semi-final with a time of 49.94 seconds, the sixth fastest among the final competitors.
The race was a thrilling encounter, and while Adeleke’s performance was commendable, she narrowly missed the podium. The gold medal went to Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, who set an Olympic record with a time of 48.17 seconds. Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain secured silver, and Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland took bronze. Adeleke finished just outside the medals in fourth place with a time of 49.28 seconds, missing bronze by a mere 0.3 seconds. Despite her strong start and holding third place into the final stretch, Kaczmarek surged past her in the final meters.
Friday’s action didn’t end with Adeleke’s race. The day also featured other Irish athletes in competition. Mark English aimed for the 800 meters final, running in the semi-finals at 10:30 am, while Sarah Lavin competed in the 100 meters hurdles shortly after. Ireland’s women’s 4x400 meters relay team, including Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Kelly McGrory, and Sharlene Mawdsley, tackled their semi-final heat in the morning.
Kate O'Connor wrapped up the day for Ireland in the heptathlon, participating in the long jump and javelin throw before concluding with the 800 meters. Meanwhile, Daniel Wiffen, the double-medallist, made his final Olympic appearance in the 10 kilometers marathon swim, becoming the first Irishman to compete in an open-water swim at the Games.
Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow continued their pursuit in the women’s Olympic golf tournament, and Lara Gillespie and Alice Sharpe were back at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome for the women’s madison.
In reflecting on her performance, Adeleke acknowledged the close call but remained focused on the future. Despite her disappointment, she remains determined and hopeful for upcoming competitions, including the women’s 4x400 meters relay final on Saturday. The Paris Games have been a testament to her talent and potential, and while she fell just short of an Olympic medal, her journey is far from over. Adeleke’s future looks bright as she continues to build on her remarkable achievements.
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