The record-breaking season continues, Rhasidat Adeleke once again playing a key role in the University of Texas running the fastest 4x100 metre relay in American collegiate history.
Competing for the University of Texas at the Big 12 Conference Championships, staged in Norman, Oklahoma, Adeleke ran the third leg, which saw the team cruise to victory in 41.89 seconds – improving their own NCAA record of 42.00, set at the Texas Relays last month.
With team-mates Julien Alfred, Ezinne Abba and Kevona Davis, that time would have won them bronze at last summer’s World Championships, and they beat the Baylor team by some considerable distance, second in 43.75 seconds, with Oklahoma third in 43.84.
It puts them well clear as favourites to win the NCAA title when the championships take place on their home track next month.
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Just over an hour later Adeleke was out again in her individual event, the 400m, winning that title by over half a second, her time of 50.58 seconds ahead of team-mate Kennedy Simon, who was second in 51.22. Last month, Adeleke improved her Irish record to 49.90 seconds, the 20 year-old from Dublin looking well comfortable on this occasion too.
Elsewhere Louise Shanahan again produced the standout performance at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet, at the Mary Peters track, running under the two-minute barrier in the 800m, winning in 1:59.53, just 0.11 outside her Irish record set at the meeting last year.
With that she relegated Ciara Mageean to fourth, Shanahan’s finishing sprint too hot for the rest to handle. Britain’s Abigail Ives also ran sub-two, second in 1:59.92, ahead of Isabelle Boffey (2:00.18), with Mageean fourth in 2:00.36.
Sarah Healy also made a welcome return to form after injury cut short her European Cross-Country medal hopes last December, improving her best to 2:01.75. Shanahan’s time also earns her an automatic qualifying spot for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest at the end of August.
Moving up from 1,500m, Andrew Coscoran held on for victory in the men’s 3,000m, running clear from the front and winning in 7:50.87, with 18-year-old Nick Griggs finishing fastest of the rest of grab second, his new personal best of 7:53.24 also taking 0.16 off his existing Irish under-20 record.
Sharlene Mawdsley won the women’s 400m in 51.75, just shy of her best, Jack Raftery of Donore Harriers taking the men’s race in 46.68 seconds, with Phil Healy winning the 200m in 23.70, Mark Smyth victorious in the men’s race in 20.70.
