Rhasidat Adeleke earns Athlete of the Year gong at National Athletics Awards

Nov 21,2024

Rhasidat Adeleke has won the Athlete of the Year gong at the 123.ie National Athletics Awards which were held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry on Wednesday.

The recognition comes in a year in which the Tallaght AC athlete won European Championships gold as part of the Irish 4x400 mixed relay team in Rome, and also claimed silver in both the 400m and women's 4x400 relay during those championships in June.

As well as breaking a number of Irish record times across the year, she also twice came close to winning Olympic medals at the Paris 2024 Games, finishing fourth in both the women's 400m final and as part of the relay team in the women's 4x400m alongside Sophie Becker, Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawsdsley - the latter squad winning the Team of the Year Award.

Sophie Becker, left, and Kelly McGrory with the Team of the year award on behalf of the Women 4x400m relay team

Adeleke was also awarded the Sprint & Hurdles Athlete of Year.

Ciara Mageean, who sensationally won European gold in the women's 1500 before injury ruled her out of the Olympics two months later, was chosen as the Middle Distance Athlete of the Year, while five-time Olympian Fionnuala McCormack received the Endurance Athlete of the Year Award and hammer thrower Nicola Tuthill won Field Athlete of the Year.

123.ie National Athletics Award Winners 2024

Hall of Fame: Gillian O'Sullivan

Lifetime Services to Athletics: Peter Hanlon

Athlete of the Year: Rhasidat Adeleke

Endurance Athlete of the Year: Fionnuala McCormack

Under 20 Athlete of the Year: Oisin Joyce

Sprint & Hurdles Athlete of the Year: Rhasidat Adeleke

Middle Distance Athlete of the Year: Ciara Mageean

Field Athlete of the Year: Nicola Tuthill

Team of the Year: Women’s 4x400m

Inspirational Performance on Irish Soil: Cathal Doyle (Morton Mile)

Special recognition Award: Neil Cusack