Rhasidat Adeleke, the record-setting Irish sprinter, announced this week that she is going professional and signing on with Nike.
"Blessed," Adeleke told her 32k Instagram followers on July 17, adding "new chapter with Nike."
The 20-year-old Dublin native shared some slick photos decked out in Nike gear, drawing more than 11,000 likes so far:
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The day earlier, Adeleke announced on Instagram that she was going professional but didn't reveal just yet with who.
"A once in a lifetime experience," the 20-year-old Dublin native said on Instagram, sharing photos from her time at the University of Texas at Austin.
"I'm extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to represent THE University of Texas these past 3 years," she wrote. "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."
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Adeleke was the first Irish woman to break the 50-second barrier in the 400m. She also holds six Irish national records - 60m indoors, 200m indoors and out, 300m indoors, and 400m indoors and out.
On Tuesday, July 18, Adeleke ran her first race as a professional at the World Continental Tour Gold meet in Székesfehérvár, Hungary.
She landed in second place in the women's 200 m with a finish of 22.36, just .02 seconds off the national record she set back in April.
Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght A.C.) has finished second at the World Continental Tour Gold meet in Székesfehérvár, Hungary this evening. Adeleke's time was just 0.02s off the national record she set in April ✨??
⏱ 22.36 ?
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 18, 2023
? https://t.co/fwB1qwIKCL#IrishAthletics pic.twitter.com/pfBxmdOUZb
Adeleke will now make her 400-meter debut at the Diamond League in Monaco on Friday, July 21, testing herself against American sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who won the US Championships last weekend in a time of 48.71 seconds.
An Olympic champion and world record holder in the 400m hurdles event, McLaughlin-Levrone has chosen to run the flat event in 2023.
Adeleke specializes in the 400m event and claimed the NCAA title in Texas last month, improving her Irish record to 49.20 seconds in the process.
Adeleke was also a key member of the University of Texas 4x100m team that smashed the collegiate record with a time of 41.89 last month, quick enough to claim a bronze medal at last year's World Championships.
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