The European Athletics Championships in Birmingham produced a night Irish athletics will not forget. Mark English claimed gold in the men’s 800m, becoming the first Irishman to win an individual European Athletics Championships title. Barely 20 minutes later, Rhasidat Adeleke charged home fastest of all in the closing stages to secure silver in the women’s 200m, adding another medal to Ireland’s growing collection.

“I want to find gratitude in everything. So as soon as that sank in, I realised I broke the national record.

“From where I came from this season, even last season, I have nothing else to do but be grateful, honestly.

“It just means so much to me, just knowing the journey. I know I don’t show everything that I do and everything I go through, but I think even showing snippets now is really helpful because it almost alleviates that stress a bit, because people are asking, ‘what’s going on?’ ‘Why aren’t you running this and that?’ And I’m just internalising everything, and it’s so heavy to carry.

“And now I just want to be free. I want to be happy. I want to enjoy this sport.”

RTE

Adeleke’s Finish Was a Statement

What a moment for Rhasidat Adeleke and for Irish athletics. The most striking thing about the race was the way Adeleke finished. For much of it, the camera angle made it easy to become absorbed in the battle between Amy Hunt and Dina Asher-Smith, but Adeleke suddenly came powering through over the closing metres and claimed silver with a finish that looked far stronger than what we have sometimes seen from her over the past couple of seasons.

Her 400m background appeared to serve her well in the closing metres. Adeleke continued driving strongly through the line and produced one of the most eye-catching finishes of the race. By the final 50 metres, she looked stronger and more assured than she had at several points during her injury-disrupted season.

There also seemed to be something different about her confidence. From the moment she walked out, Adeleke looked composed, assured and ready for the occasion. After a difficult couple of years in which huge expectations have followed almost every performance, seeing her produce that kind of finish on a major stage felt particularly satisfying.

Ireland’s Athletics Programme Is Rising

For Ireland, it was another reminder of just how far the country’s athletics programme has come. Adeleke is no longer simply an exciting prospect carrying enormous expectations. Performances like this show that she belongs among Europe’s elite, and if she can build on this confidence and finishing strength, there could be much more to come.

Mark English’s gold was equally significant. Twelve years after winning his first medal, he finally secured the title that had eluded him. His victory was not just a personal triumph but a historic moment for Irish athletics.

Adeleke’s own words after the race captured the emotional weight of the moment. She admitted that her initial reaction was disappointment at not winning gold, but she quickly reframed it. “I don’t want to be that person anymore,” she said. “I want to find gratitude in everything.”

That shift in mindset may be as significant as the medal itself. Adeleke herself has spoken about how heavily she carried questions and expectations surrounding her performances. In Birmingham, however, she sounded determined to approach the sport differently.

The question now is what comes next. If Adeleke can maintain this form and build on the confidence she showed, there is every reason to believe she can challenge for gold at future championships.

For Irish athletics, the future looks bright. English has delivered the gold he had been chasing for over a decade. Adeleke has shown that she belongs at the very top of European sprinting. And the support from the Irish fans in Birmingham was extraordinary, creating an atmosphere that the athletes themselves described as unforgettable.

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