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Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC) ran her third fastest time ever of 49.28 to finish fourth in the women’s 400m final tonight in Paris, making history in the process by becoming the first Irish woman ever to contest an Olympic sprint final.

The gold medal was won by the reigning world champion and Tokyo silver medallist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic in an incredible new Olympic record time of 48.17. She smashed the 28-year-old record held by French legend Josie-Marie Perec, set all the way back at the Atlanta Games. Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain stormed to silver in a season’s best time of 48.53, with reigning European champion Natalia Kaczmareck of Poland; claiming the bronze in 48.98.

Tallaght’s Adeleke gave this reaction afterwards, “Definitely disappointed. There was so much more there than what I did today. This is just part of the game, you win some, you lose some. It’s all about showing up on the day. Today just wasn’t my day. I just appreciate everyone who’s been showing up for me, everyone who’s supported me. I appreciate my whole team, my coach, my whole family, my whole support team. It means so much.

“I didn’t achieve my dreams today but in the future I just hope there’s more podiums there and I’ll be able to perform at my best when it’s most important. It just wasn’t meant to be today. It’s my first Olympics, I’m grateful to be healthy and, going forward, I want to be exactly where I want to be. That’s what I’m going to be working towards in the future. I’m hungrier than ever!”

Asked about the race plan Adeleke said, “My coach said don’t let a plan get into your head, just execute, you can judge it yourself and I feel like it didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to but I still gave it my best effort today.

“The whole thing is a bit of a blur. (On the) home straight I think I was in contention, maybe I panicked a little bit and started to strain. It’s just a whole blur. All I remember is that I didn’t make the podium. I was just staring at the screen (laughs)…’Oh my God, no way, I came fourth again? Can someone just give me a medal?!’”

Notably Adeleke was beaten into fourth by two previous world champions; Paulino (2023), and Naser (2019), and the reigning European champion Kaczmarek (2024). Amber Anning of Great Britain ran a National Record to place fifth behind Adeleke with Alexis Holmes of the USA running a personal best to take sixth.

At just twenty-one years of age Ireland’s Adeleke, who only became a 400m specialist over the last couple of years, was the second youngest of the field. Only the Norwegian was younger than her by a matter of months. Paulino is 27-years-old, Nazer is 26-years-old, as is Kaczmarek which gave credence to the widely held belief that the 400m is a real strength event suited to athletes peaking in the mid-twenties.

Adeleke was asked about this after the race and whether that strength over the last 50m will come with age, “I think there’s times where I’ve had that last 50m and times where I haven’t. It really depends on how the rest of the race goes. Also maybe it comes down to me being more patient and not kicking as early. At the end of the day I think it comes with experience and I think I have so much more to come in the 400m, so much more experience and races, to be able to learn how I should run my race the best.

Adeleke confirmed afterwards that she plans to take her place in the Women’s 4x400m relay tomorrow and said, “I think it’s another opportunity to get out here and give it my all.”

Kate O’Connor; the first ever Irish heptathlete to compete at an Olympic Games concluded her seven event competition on a high with a season’s best of 2:13.25 in the gruelling 800m finale, to place 14th overall.

Afterwards she gave this reaction, “It was an enjoyable two days, a lot of highs and a lot of lows but overall very enjoyable. Seeing all those Ireland flags warms my heart, that people actually want to come out and watch me and the rest of the team.”

Twenty-three year old O’Connor (Dundalk St Gerald’s AC) had her preparation for these Games hampered by a hamstring injury last month so will be pleased with her showing in Paris.

“In the 800m my plan was to just go out and run a season’s best, there was an outside chance I could’ve moved up a slot, there was also an outside chance I could’ve dropped down a spot. 14th at the Olympic Games, I can’t complain.”

O’Connor’s father Michael has coached her to this level and has been track side throughout. She spoke of what this meant, “It’s a great experience. For the both of us to be at our very first Olympic Games together isn’t something that many people can say that they’ve actually done. I saw him in the crowd and he was actually in tears. I know that he’s delighted with me.”