With an amazing performance at Morton Stadium, Rhasidat Adeleke took center stage on the final day of the 123.ie National Senior Track and Field Championships by setting a new Irish record in the 100m. On June 30th, the Tallaght AC athlete sprinted to an incredible 11.13 seconds (+0.7m/s), leaving the crowd amazed as she won gold, beating last year’s champion, Sarah Lavin of Emerald AC, who finished in 11.37 seconds.
Adeleke sets new sprint record
Adeleke’s record-breaking time surpasses the previous mark of 11.27 seconds, set by Lavin. This achievement adds another milestone for the 21-year-old, who now holds every Irish sprint record from 60m to 400m, both indoors and outdoors.
The sensational Rhasidat Adeleke thrills the crowd at Morton Stadium as she wins a high-quality women's 100m in a new Irish record at the National Athletics Championships #RTEsport pic.twitter.com/bvXtJNVUAN
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 30, 2024
After her win, Adeleke said the atmosphere at the event felt like the European or World championships, thanks to the excited support from the fans. The large turnout was particularly special for her, highlighting how much she enjoys competing at Morton Stadium and putting on a great performance for her loyal supporters.
Adeleke was surprised by the result. She had been focusing more on the 400m than on speed work for shorter sprints. Despite that, she was excited to set the national record with a time of 11.13 seconds in the 100m.
Record-breaking performances at Nationals
Thomas Barr from Ferrbank AC won his 12th national title in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 50.61 seconds. The local hero from Waterford was a big hit with the crowd, signing autographs for young fans for an hour and a half after his race. In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jennifer Sawyer from St. L. O’Toole AC clinched her first national senior outdoor title with a time of 1:01.87.
Sarah Healy from U.C.D. AC defended her senior national title in the 800m, finishing in 2:03.64. She narrowly beat Louise Shanahan from Leevale AC, who finished at 2:04.17, and Jenna Bromell from Emerald AC, who came in at 2:04.41. Mark English from Finn Valley AC showed his class in the men’s 800m, winning his 9th outdoor title, earning a time of 1:49.18.
Sophie O’Sullivan from Ballymore Cobh AC won the women’s 1500m title, improving from last year’s silver. She led the race and finished with a time of 4:20.45, just ahead of Carla Sweeney from Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. AC, who finished in 4:21.13. Sophie’s mother, Sonia, who last won this title in 2000, presented her daughter with her first national senior gold medal.
The men’s 1500m race was exciting. Cathal Doyle from Clonliffe took gold with his ‘sit-and-kick’ style, finishing in 3:44.15. UCD’s Luke McCann came in second at 3:44.54, and Bantry’s Darragh McElhinney got third at 3:44.67.
The 400m races saw Sophie Becker from Raheny Shamrock AC and Jack Raftery from Donore Harriers take the titles. Becker, a European silver medalist, won easily with a time of 52.68. Rachel McCann from North Down AC took silver in 53.60, and Lauren Cadden from Sligo AC earned bronze in 53.66 despite a hard fall at the finish.
In the men’s 400m, Raftery won in a close race, finishing in 45.95. Christopher O’Donnell from North Sligo AC was just behind at 46.07, and Callum Baird from Ballymena and Antrim AC took third in 46.20.
Michelle Finn from Leevale continued her winning streak in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, finishing first with a time of 10:05.25. In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Billy Coogan from Kilkenny City Harriers won gold with 9:11.69.
Nicola Tuthill of U.C.D. AC impressed everyone with a throw of 68.54m to win the women’s hammer throw title. This came shortly after she performed well at the European Championships in Rome.
Sean Mockler from Moycarkey Coolcroo AC won the first gold medal of the day with a 66.22m throw in the men’s hammer event.
Top pole vaulters returned to the podium as Matthew Callinan Keenan of St. L. O’Toole AC won gold after recovering from an injury with a vault of 4.75m. Ellen McCartney from City of Lisburn AC won the women’s title with a 4.17m vault.
