THERE has never been anything like Rhasidat Adeleke in the history of Irish track and field sprinting/short distance running — mens or womens at the Olympics.
Maeve Kyle, who famously borrowed £200 to achieve her aim, competed in the 100m and 200m at the 1956 Melbourne Games, was the first Irish female track and field athlete to run at the Olympics.
Kyle returned to compete at the 1960 Rome Olympics before switching to 400m for the 1964 Tokyo Games where she became Ireland’s first female track semi-finalist.
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Caroline O’Shea (right), competing at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, became the first Irish female athlete to make an Olympic final. She finished eighth in the 800m posting 2:00.77.
Derval O’Rourke won European silver in 2006 and 2010 in 100m hurdles, but when it comes to the Olympics — Ireland has won just the one female track medal and over a far longer distance, Sonia O’Sullivan taking silver in the 3,000m in Sydney 24 years ago.
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