Sluggish comeback display leaves Rhasidat Adeleke in race against time to salvage season

Rhasidat Adeleke's return to the 400-meter track at the Pre Classic in Eugene, Oregon, did not go as planned. One year after her last individual 400m race, a visibly race-rusty Adeleke finished a distant ninth, clocking 52.26 seconds. This time is more than three seconds slower than her Irish record and marks her slowest performance since she began competing seriously in the 400m in early 2022.

Adeleke started aggressively, holding her own in the initial stages. However, she began to lose ground around the final bend and faded significantly in the last 50 meters. She was the only runner in the field not to break 52 seconds, finishing last and well outside the 51.20-second standard required for the European Championships next month.

Despite the disappointing performance, Adeleke still has time to qualify for the European Championships, with the deadline falling on the same day as the National Championships on July 26. Her next opportunity to improve will be at the Monaco Diamond League meeting. There, she will face a strong field, including Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino, who recently set a Diamond League record.

Physically, Adeleke appeared fine in Eugene, but the large gaps to the leading women were evident. Jamaica's Dejanea Oakley, running for the University of Georgia, won the race in 49.64 seconds, showcasing a remarkable improvement. Oakley, who trained under Adeleke's coach Edrick Floréal before transferring, recently broke the US Collegiate record.

Adeleke has a history of strong performances in Monaco, having won there in 2024 with a time of 49.17 seconds, her second-fastest ever. However, with her season previously cut short by injuries, achieving such times again will be a significant challenge. Her training partner, Sharlene Mawdsley, has recently run well within the European qualifying time.