Rhasidat Adeleke will race for gold this afternoon in the 100M at the U20 European Championships in Tallinn. Adeleke cruised into the final, posting the fastest and second fastest time in the heats and semi-final.
The current University of Texas student has been in flying form and is the highest ranked U20 runner in Europe at the moment – unsurprisingly she is favourite to take home gold. The Tallaght runner has navigated the favourites tag brilliantly, showing no signs of nerves in her two races with times of 11.37s and 11.38s – easing down in the final few metres.
Ireland’s women have history in the 100M, with 18-year old Gina Akpe-Moses claiming gold back in 2017 at the U20 Championships in Grosseto, Italy.
GOLD FOR IRELAND!
Gina Akpe-Moses wins the 100m at the European U20 Championships in 11.71 from Germany's Keshia Kwadwo. #Grosseto2017 pic.twitter.com/UbMdSA0njQ— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 21, 2017
It’s been a whirlwind few months for Adeleke who was making waves over in America. After breaking the Irish Junior 400m indoor record in February, Adeleke broke the Irish Junior 200m record for the second time in two weeks earlier in April. The former European Athletics U18 Championship gold medalist then ran a wind assisted (+2.7) 200M in 23.00 at the Texas Invitational.
On her return to Ireland, Adeleke posted a lightning 100M time of to win the Irish Senior Title at the National Athletics Championships – just 0.1s off Phi Healy’s All-Time Irish record.
The European U20 100M final takes place this afternoon at 3:20pm Irish time. You can watch the race live here.
A brilliant Women’s 100m final at the Irish Life Health Senior National Championships ?
?Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght) 11.29
?Molly Scott (SLOT) 11.46
?Aoife Lynch (Donore Harriers) 11.69 pic.twitter.com/AG1R7zS5uB— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) June 26, 2021
