Rhasidat Adeleke aims to build on an unimpressive fourth finish in the Bislett Games Diamond League meeting in Oslo
With three months left until the World Championships in Tokyo, Rhasidat Adeleke was always unlikely to shoot the lights out in her first 400m race of the year. And so it proved at the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday evening, the Dubliner clocking 50.42 to finish fourth, well down on her Irish record of 49.07.
It was Adeleke’s first race at her specialist distance since last September, having raced over 200m earlier this season along with a couple of 4x400m legs at last month’s World Relays in China. Drawn in lane six, she got off to a steady start but began to move through the field after halfway, challenging for second as she came off the final bend.
But as it was in some key races last year, Adeleke tied up slightly over the final 50 metres, fading to fourth, with USA’s Isabella Whittaker taking victory in 49.58 ahead of Norway’s Henriette Jaeger (49.62) and Britain’s Amber Anning (50.24). Dutch athlete Lieke Klaver was just behind Adeleke in 50.64, with Olympic bronze medallist and European champion Natalia Bukowiecka sixth in 50.67.
“It’s my first 400, I’m trying to adjust in terms of that,” said Adeleke. “My coach and I have been working on something different, so we’re just trying to get going, get the season going. The main goal is September, so we’re working towards that.
Adeleke will be back in action over 400m at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday. “I’ll build on this race,” she said. “Each race, I’m building up to make it to where I need to be.”
