Not long ago, Rhasidat Adeleke looked like the future of track and field. At the 2024 World Athletics Relays, the 23-year-old recorded a 48.45-second relay split in the 4x400m relay, faster than the personal bests of Marileidy Paulino and Femke Bol in the open 400m. But two years later, things look different. Competing at the 2026 Prefontaine Classic, Adeleke crossed the finish line in 52.26 seconds, well off the form that saw her set a personal best of 49.07. Even so, the Olympian is not dwelling on the result.

One day after the race, which was on July 6, Adeleke shared a photo from the event on her Instagram story, on which she opened up on what she referred to as the “reality” of her loss.

“It is easy to share the wins, but it is hard to be vulnerable – displaying the injuries, bad days, and challenges,” Adeleke wrote. “No excuses or seeking pity, just reality.”

Adeleke added, “But finally made it to the line. Will keep building from here. I appreciate those that continuously rock with me.”

For most athletes, especially those touted to have a promising future, a last-place finish at a major meet would be a disappointment. For Adeleke, it meant much more. The event was her first outdoor 400m race in almost 12 months after a period on the sidelines with injuries following the 2024 season.

Adeleke entered 2025 with high expectations. Soon after, she found herself battling a series of recurring physical setbacks. The problems began when she and her coaching staff upped the intensity of her training. Instead of dealing with just one setback, Adeleke revealed that she suffered multiple injuries, including hamstring, groin, and knee issues.

Each time it looked like things were getting better, they only got worse. It became so bad that, in August 2025, Adeleke announced she was ending her season and would not compete at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. “Lingering injuries & continuous setbacks made it increasingly difficult to train & perform at the level I expect from myself,” she said at the time.

Adeleke competed in just three 400m races during the 2025 season. Her final competition of the year came on July 19 at the London Athletics Meet, where she finished fourth in the 200m in 22.52 seconds.

When the 2026 season arrived, opportunities to compete remained limited. She opened her campaign in an indoor 600m race at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational in February, where she finished third. That context makes her performance in Eugene easier to understand, where Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley won the race in 49.64 seconds.

Still, one race does not define Adeleke’s journey. If anything, the Irish sprint star believes her best days are still ahead. After everything she has battled over the past two years, she remains confident that she can get back to her best and continue chasing milestones.

Rhasidat Adeleke’s journey to the Olympics

Adeleke grew up in Dublin and attended St Mark’s National School. During her school years, she was naturally fast and regularly won sprint races, especially the 100m. Her PE teacher, Dee Lunny, noticed her ability and encouraged her to join a local athletics club. At just 12 years old in 2013, Adeleke joined Tallaght Athletic Club, which became the place where her journey began.

At first, athletics was just a pastime. She was very good at swimming, basketball, and many other sports, but her speed stood out. She joined Tallaght AC and was introduced to a higher level of competition than what she faced at school.

Her budding career was already attracting interest. As a teenager, Adeleke won national medals and represented Ireland internationally for the first time at the 2021 European U20 Championships, winning 100m and 200m gold medals. The biggest turning point came later that year when she moved to the U.S. to attend the University of Texas at Austin.

Coached by Texas Longhorns’ Edrick Floréal, Adeleke transitioned to the 400m and quickly established herself as one of the NCAA’s top runners. By 2023, she had finished fourth in the 400m final at the World Championships in Budapest at just 20 years old.

Her breakthrough continued in 2024. Adeleke became the first Irish woman to break the 50-second barrier in the 400m, lowering her personal best to 49.07 before reaching the Olympic final in Paris. She ultimately finished fourth, behind Marileidy Paulino, Salwa Eid Naser, and Natalia Kaczmarek, but rather than seeing it as a disappointment, Adeleke viewed it as proof that there was still another level she could reach.

In a December 2024 interview, she said, “I have so much to improve on and so much more to experience. I see that there is a lot I can do in the future. When it comes to 2028, I can see myself in a better position because of how much I have to improve.”

That belief is what continues to drive Adeleke toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

“When it does come to 2028, I can almost see myself in a better position, because of how much I do have to improve on,” she added.

Right now, the results may not reflect the athlete Adeleke knows she can be. But after everything she has battled over the past two years, simply being back on the track is a step in the right direction. If her own belief is anything to go by, the journey to Los Angeles 2028 is only just beginning.