Ciara Mageean ran the race of her life to finish second to Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who set a new world mile record of 4:07.65. Mageean ran an amazing final straight to move away from the chasing pack, stopping the clock at 4:14.58 and obliterating Sonia O’Sullivan’s 29-
year-old Irish record of 4:17.25.
The Down woman already held the indoor mile record, as well as being the fastest Irish woman over the 800m, 1000m, and 1500m. It was a night for records, with seven national records set across the field. Mageean smashed her previous record of 4:19.03.
Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke, meanwhile, continues to make an impact on the world stage after deciding to forego a final year at the University of Texas to cash in on her undoubted ability. The Tallaght sprinter finished fourth tonight over 400m at the Herculis Meeting in Monaco that forms part of the Diamond League.
Adeleke was in contention coming off the final bend but was overhauled by, among others, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, who won in 49.48. Adeleke’s time of 49.99 was well outside her national record of 49.20 set earlier this season.
Adeleke also competed on Tuesday evening at the Gyulai Istvan Meeting in Hungary, finishing second to Jamaica’s current world champion for the distance Shericka Jackson in a World and Olympic qualifying time of 22.36 seconds.
This follows Adeleke announcing last weekend that she will not be completing her final year at the University of Texas in Austin in order to take up a professional running contract. She used social media to inform that she was turning professional to pursue a career in the sport.
“A once in a lifetime experience, thank you Texas,” she posted. “I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the University of Texas these past three years. 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.
“Becoming a professional athlete” is not term used in athletics on this side of the Atlantic, where athletes frequently pursue an athletics career and further their education at the same time. However, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) in the USA forbids athletes receiving any monetary reward in terms of appearance fee, prize-money, shoe sponsorship, or anything that can be converted to money. Had Adeleke stayed within the terms of her athletics scholarship, she would have lost out financially.
At only 20, and current NCAA 400m champion, she can demand handsome appearance money at meetings all across Europe and beyond, not just in next two months but hopefully for many years to come. She can also now accept prize money at the World Championships in Hungary next month.
Whilst she cannot compete for the University of Texas again, it is likely that a place will be found for her on the coaching team in Austin to enable her to continue training there. The Longhorns’ coach Edrick Floreal has already said: “If the time is right for her to go and make a living out of this, I’ve already told her she can stay at Texas as long as she wants, and I’ll coach her.”
