LAST UPDATE | 9 Aug 2024

RHASIDAT ADELEKE HAS come fourth in the final of the women’s 400m at the Olympic Games in Paris.

The 21-year-old from Tallaght is the first Irish woman to ever compete in an Olympic sprint final.

Adeleke clocked in with a time of 49.28 seconds to claim fourth spot at the Stade de France.

Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic took home the gold medal with a time of 48.17 seconds, with Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser claiming silver at 48.53 seconds.

Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek rounded out the top three and took home the bronze medal with a time of 48.98.

Overhead view of Adeleke approaching the finish line in the 400m final tonight. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Speaking to RTÉ after the race, Adeleke said she was “a bit disappointed” and added that the “race went by so quickly”.

“That was all I had today.”

She added: “It just comes down to experience, and further down the line, I will gain that repetition and confidence going forward and I’ll know how to put it together for the perfect race.”

"I wanted it today. I've been working for it today. It didn't happen today. It's just life, it's sport." - Rhasidat Adeleke reacts to her fourth-placed finish in the women's 400m final. Disappointment, but a determination to come back even stronger ☘️ #Paris2024 #RTEsport pic.twitter.com/uiRcsBpeh2

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 9, 2024

And while Adeleke said she will take a lot of positives from today, she added: “I didn’t come here to participate, I came here to win a medal.

“It didn’t happen, but hopefully in the next couple of years I’ll be able to sharpen up and use that experience to put myself on the podium.

“I wanted it today, I’ve been working for it today, but it didn’t happen today. This is life, this is sport, things aren’t always going to go your way, but it’s about how you bounce back and how you take this and make your future better.

“I’m going to take this experience, take this hurt, and keep working. I’m as hungry as ever and hopefully in the future there’ll be more podiums.”

Adeleke thanked her family and coach for their support, as well as her fans in the stadium.

Adeleke secured an automatic place in the 400m final after finishing second in her semi-final on Wednesday night with a time of 49.94 seconds.

She described Wednesday’s race as ”very messy” but added that she was excited to “get into the final and fix everything”.

She is only the third Irish athlete to qualify for an Olympic sprint final, after Bob Tisdall in 1932 and Thomas Barr in 2016. Given they achieved theirs over hurdles, Adeleke is in a league of her own.

Meanwhile, Adeleke confirmed after the tonight’s final that she will run in the final of the 4x400m women’s relay tomorrow evening.

Speaking to reporters, she said she will line up with her Ireland teammates at 8.15pm (Irish time).