It's fair to say interest in Athletics has gone through the roof in recent months. From our 4x400m mixed relay team claiming gold in the European Championships in June to watching closely as we fought for medals in the Olympics this summer, the sport has never been in a better place in Ireland.
This surge in interest is partly down to the excitement surrounding Rhashidat Adeleke. The talented Tallaght native is excelling on the track while also gaining numerous fans off it and her bubbly personality was evident for all to see as she appeared on The Late Late Show on Friday night.
Having finished 4th in the 400m at the Olympics in Paris this summer, Adeleke is striving to improve on that agonising finish by picking up a medal in four years time in Los Angeles.
Although it seems like a long time to wait, the 22 year-old is getting back into training next week with a view to competing at the World Championships in Tokyo in September 2025.
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Rhasidat Adeleke on the Late Late
Adeleke is going from strength to strength and currently holds national records for 100m, 200m and 400m.
Speaking to Patrick Kielty on the popular talk show, Adeleke was in great form but couldn't help describe how she felt after this summers Olympics in Paris:
I'm very hard on myself as an athlete, I saw the fourth place as defeat
I couldn't get over it, I had literally PTSD the following weeks. The fact my dreams didn't come true and I have to wait another four years.
But there was a silver lining in all the disappointment she faced:
Seeing the reception I got and seeing how many people were so proud of me took the weight off my shoulders a bit. If I didn't make myself proud I made other people proud and that's something for me to look upon and I still achieved something.
Having it in Paris, having it in Europe, there were so many Irish fans. I'd walk out into the stadium and I literally felt like I was in Santry in Morton Stadium. The flags, the screaming when they announced my name in the stadium, it was phenomenal, literally I couldn't believe it. The best [fans] in the world!
It's exciting times for all Irish fans that are following the Dubliners career closely as she continues to impress on and off the track.
