In an electrifying display of speed and determination, Rhasidat Adeleke has claimed the final Irish sprint record not already under her name, edging closer to the 11-second barrier in the 100 meters. Adeleke’s performance at the National Track and Field Championships solidifies her status as Ireland’s fastest woman. The 152nd consecutive staging of these championships was marked by high anticipation, particularly for the showdown between Adeleke and Sarah Lavin. Lavin had previously set the Irish 100m record at 11.27 seconds last summer. With this historic face-off, the event drew one of the largest crowds in recent years.
The weather conditions at Morton Stadium in Santry on Sunday afternoon were near perfect for sprinting, with a slight 0.7m/s tailwind aiding the athletes. Adeleke seized the moment with remarkable intent, storming from the start to finish in 11.13 seconds, leaving Lavin trailing in second place at 11.37 seconds. This victory serves as a significant confidence boost for Adeleke, who is tuning up for her specialist 400m event at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Her stellar performance delighted the crowd, who cheered her on as she jogged back down the track to accept their acclaim.
Adeleke started the 10-woman final in lane six, with Lavin positioned two lanes inside in lane four. The Tallaght AC sprinter’s explosive start was clear from the outset, and her record-breaking margin was nothing short of historic. The finish wasn’t even close, as Adeleke crossed the line well ahead of her competitors. Remarkably, this marks the 52nd Irish record broken by the 21-year-old Adeleke across all age groups, a record likely unsurpassable. Her journey began six years ago when she broke the Irish Youth 200m record, clocking 23.80 seconds in 2018. Since then, she has set and reset records at 60m, 200m, 300m, and 400m, both indoors and outdoors.
Earlier this year, Adeleke’s coach, Edrick Floreal, highlighted her desire to claim the Irish 100m record. This ambition became a reality as she clocked 11.13 seconds, perfectly satisfying her goal for now. Three years ago, Adeleke won her first 100m title in 11.29 seconds, a time assisted by a +2.6 m/s wind. She repeated this success in 2022 with an 11.68-second finish despite a -2.6m/s headwind. Injury kept her out of last year’s championships, where Lavin secured a rare sprint double in the 100m and 100m hurdles.
Before her latest record-breaking run, Adeleke’s legal best was 11.31 seconds, set in 2021. However, she also achieved a wind-assisted 10.84 seconds in Texas this April. Now, her national record of 11.13 seconds ring true to her remarkable talent and relentless pursuit of excellence.
