Rhasidat Adeleke dumps collegiate career to become professional athlete

Irish record-holder Rhasidat Adeleke has announced she is becoming a professional athlete. The Dublin runner said she is forgoing the rest of her collegiate career at the University of Texas, which she has represented for three years.

Adeleke, 20, won the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) 400m title last month.

That win, the first for an Irish athlete since 2006, moved her to 20th on the all-time women's 400m list.

Adeleke is set to run her first race as a professional at the Diamond League in Monaco next Friday.

"I'm extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the University of Texas these past three years," she said on Instagram.

"I couldn't have made a better decision! I'd like to thank absolutely everyone who supported me along the way and those that helped me become who I am today.

"However, I'd like to announce that I am forgoing the remainder of my eligibility and becoming a professional athlete."

Adeleke was a semi-finalist in the 400m at last year's World Championships in Oregon and a month later went on to finish fifth over the distance at the European Championships in Munich.

Meanwhile, Sophie O'Sullivan, daughter of former Irish athletics star Sonia, has won the women's 1500m at the European Athletics Under-23 Championships in Finland.

Her victory is the first-ever gold secured by an Irish athlete at these championships and it was an Irish one-two with Sarah Healy coming second.