Sensational Rhasidat Adeleke leads Irish relay teams to Paris Olympics on the double

From Nassau direct to Paris, rarely if ever has Olympic qualification come as smoothly or as impressively as this, Rhasidat Adeleke leading the way, not once but twice, for the Irish teams at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas.

With 893 of the world’s finest sprinters, from 54 countries, descending on Nassau, qualification for Paris was foremost on all their minds, and both the Irish women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay achieved that goal and then some, unquestionably two of the best relay performances in Irish athletics history.

Both won their heats overnight on Saturday, breaking the Irish records in the process; whatever happens in their finals overnight on Sunday – with the real prospect of podium positions and prize money – is a bonus, with Adeleke further underlining her status as one of the most exciting one-lap runners in the world.

Only the top two in Saturday’s heats qualified automatically for Paris (the rest battling it out again for the remaining sports in Sunday’s repechage rounds), Adeleke smooth running proving utterly pivotal to those victories.

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The 21-year-old Dublin sprinter ran the second leg in both events, just 90 minutes apart, while clocking two of the fastest 400-metre splits of the night, before Sharlene Mawdsley also ran a superb anchor leg in both events to seal the Irish victories, her confidence now soaring.

“If anything I was feeling a little bit sleepy after being up so early this morning,” Adeleke said of her efforts. “But knowing that we could all qualify for the Olympics gives you enough energy to go out there and do your best.”

First up were the mixed 4x400m team, comprising of Cillin Greene, Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Mawdsley, and they clocked a time of 3:12.50 to win their heat, in a national record, and well ahead of second-placed Belgium, who clocked 3:13.18, with Britain third in 3:13.52. Their time was the third fastest overall across all the heats.

Greene’s split was 46.99, Adeleke ran 49.54, Barr 45.74, and Mawdsley 50.13; Adeleke’s run even more impressive as she passed six runners on her leg, then had to run out into lane five to hand over to Barr, who had been incorrectly lined up on the outside, rather than the inside lane, which would have made Adeleke’s task a lot easier.

“I was so frustrated,” said Barr, still hoping to make his third Olympics in the 400m hurdles too. “We were passing 200 metres in third place which meant we should have been third in the line-up to get the baton. I had to wave at [Rhasidat] to get her to come out.

“But we knew in our heart of hearts that we had everything we needed to qualify and to get through and win this race but sometimes it’s about executing it. I feel like we did that exactly, what we needed to do to get the job done.

“That’s our first race as a unit this year. Looking forward it looks like we’re only going to get faster, it’s really promising to have the team together and doing so well this early in the season.”

Though conditions were ideal, it was still a big task for Adeleke and Mawdsley to make their comeback 90 minutes later to help the women’s 4x400m; not that it looked that way, as they stormed to another victory in 3:24.38 taking over one-and-a-half seconds off the previous national record – and fastest across all the heats – and ahead of second-placed Britain, who clocked 3:24.89, with Cuba far back in third, running 3:31.56.

Sophie Becker and Phil Healy certainly did their part, but Adeleke’s run on the second leg once again demonstrated her world-class qualities as she also heads towards Paris in the individual 400 metre.

Mawdsley split under 51 seconds for the second time, running 50.98, while Adeleke was once again under 50 seconds, clocking a sensational 49.48 seconds; Becker opened with a 52.62, without the benefit of a running start, while Healy clocked 51.30.

“We couldn’t have asked for much more. Two wins, two national records ... what a dreamy night. I can’t put into words how much this means to us all. We ticked off all the checklist for today,” Mawdsley added, the 25-year-old Tipperary athlete also on course to qualify for Paris in the individual 400 metre.

For Mawdsley, who last August helped Ireland qualify for both those relay finals at the World Championships in Budapest, there was further motivation; although she was part of the mixed relay quartet that secured Tokyo Olympic qualification, she was not selected to travel, nor was Adeleke.

Jack Raftery and Christopher O’Donnell completed the men’s squad; Roisin Harrison, Lauren Cadden and Rachal McCann also on the women’s squad, with the next task being to bring this form into the European Athletics Championships in Rome in June.

Then Paris beckons.

Day Two – World Athletics Relays: Irish schedule; Mixed 4x400m Relay final – Monday morning, 02:40; Women’s 4x400m Relay final – Monday morning, 03:10