Rhasidat Adeleke explains her decision to withdraw from National Track and Field Championships in Santry
'An injury I had earlier this season has transcended into additional lingering setbacks so I'll be supporting from afar. I'll hopefully be back to get some Morton magic next year. I'm forever grateful for all the support. Best of luck to everyone racing.'
Adeleke wasn't among the entries when the deadline closed on Sunday night and Athletics Ireland stated on Wednesday that she would bypass the event 'as she continues to focus on recovery following recent race exertions'.
Last year, Adeleke proved the star attraction at Morton Stadium, with several thousand fans watching her power to victory in an Irish 100m record of 11.13. However, she hasn't been at quite the same level yet this year. The quickest of her three 400m outings is the 50.42 she ran in Oslo last month, which puts her 25th on the top lists for 2025 and is well down on the Irish record of 49.07 that she ran in last year's European final.
It's not unusual for star names to skip nationals while preparing for major championships, with some A-list names usually absent each year. Athletes require dispensation from selectors to do so. Athletics Ireland's selection policy for September's World Championships in Tokyo states that dispensation requests 'will ONLY be granted for medical reasons and/or exceptional circumstances', and Adeleke will now focus on laying a training foundation in the weeks ahead as she builds up for Tokyo.
A slew of other star names will be in action in Santry, with Kate O'Connor, Mark English, Sarah Lavin, Sharlene Mawdsley, Sarah Healy, Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Andrew Coscoran and Sophie O'Sullivan among the Olympians on the entry lists.
Adeleke did not compete at the nationals in 2023 when undergoing treatment for a niggle, but she was trackside to meet fans, and she went on to finish fourth in the world 400m final that year in Budapest. In 2022, she won the national 100m title in 11.68 while in 2021, she won gold in the 100m and silver over 200m. Her most recent competitive outing was at the London Diamond League on 19 July, where she took a step forward with a season's best to finish fourth in the 200m in 22.52.
Both days of action at the nationals will be streamed on the Athletics Ireland YouTube Channel, with live coverage on RTÉ Two from 5-7.30pm on Sunday. Day tickets cost €15 with a special two-day ticket available for €25, while U-16s go free.
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