• Ireland Olympic hero Rhasidat Adeleke pulls out of elite Diamond League 400m race

    Ireland Olympic hero Rhasidat Adeleke pulls out of elite Diamond League 400m race

    The Tallaght sprinter is yet to give a reason for the decision but will not feature in the 400m race.

    Adeleke was due to be up against some high-profile sprinters in the race, including world number one Marileidy Paulino as well as world number three Natalia Bukowiecka.

    The Lord Mayor award recipient produced a disappointing performance in her fourth-place finish in Eugene, Oregon, last week, finishing behind three sprinters ranked lower than her in the world rankings.

    She ran a 51.33, leaving her well adrift of winner Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (49.43) and almost a full second slower than the season best she set in Oslo last month.(50.42)

    She also finished behind Aaliyah Butler (49.86) who she was due to race again this week in Monaco.

    The 22-year-old impressed in Oslo with a fourth-place finish and a season-best time in a stacked race just a month ago. A sixth place finish in Stockholm (50.48) followed for the Irish athlete where she finished just shy of her season best.

    The European gold medalist’s decision comes as a surprise, as the World Athletics Championships are only two months away, kicking off on September 13.

    Adeleke will be hopeful to make an impact at the Championships and add to her bronze 4X400m mixed relay medal from 2024.

    The next Diamond League meet is in London, which doesn’t feature a 400m race, on July 19, before there is a month break in the almost weekly meets.

    Adeleke competed in the Monaco Diamond League 400m race last year, winning with a time (49.17) just short of the Irish national record (49.07), which she set a month previous at the European Championships.

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