ADELEKE: PARIS SO POSITIVE

RHASIDAT ADELEKE will always have Paris but there are other things in her lane right now too.

She graduates from university in May before tackling the summer track season, which will include the European Championships in Rome and the World Relays in Nassau.

The Olympics loom large in the background, but the Tallaght sprinter’s not letting thoughts of Paris take over her life.

“I do think about it sometimes but I don’t let it consume me,” she says.

“At the end of the day, I don’t want it to linger over me like it’s a negative thing. It’s a positive thing, going to the Olympics.

“It’s an opportunity and very few people get to go to the Olympics, so I see it as a positive thing rather than something scary.”

Adeleke announced herself as a serious medal contender for the 400 metres in Paris with her fourth-place finish at last year’s World Championships (inset).

A medal at the Olympics is very much the goal now and her training regime has altered since going professional.

“It is probably a little bit more serious now,” says the 21-year-old.

“I always took it seriously, but just in the little things, sleeping more, hydrating more, trying to get the little things and improve those, get those one per cents.”

The signs are good so far.

Irish records have been tumbling once again this season and the Dubliner is injury-free and on track with her preparations under the watchful eye of coach Edrick Floreal. Not that it’s all easy.

“The technical things are just so hard to get,” she admits.

“Flo pays attention to detail a lot. I will think I’ve done a good rep and he’ll be like, ‘That was trash, let’s do it again’.

“It’s hard to get it down, but I’m definitely getting better at all those things and keep improving.”

She knows there will be plenty of attention on her performances this year, but all roads lead to Paris, where she has only one thing on her mind.

“A medal,” she says. And the colour? “Gold,” she adds, laughing.

“I think everyone wants a gold medal.”

KPMG are delighted to announce their new partnership with one of Ireland’s leading athletes, Rhasidat Adeleke.