Tough Return for Adeleke in Eugene as She Finishes Ninth in 52.26

Rhasidat Adeleke’s long awaited return to competition ended in disappointment in the early hours of Saturday morning as the Irish record holder finished ninth in 52.26 in the women’s 400 metres at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.

The Euro silver medallist over 400m, contesting her first major international race back after another injury interrupted spell, made a steady start before fading sharply in the closing stages of a high quality field led by Jamaica’s Dejanei Oakley, who took victory in 49.64.

Adeleke, who has endured a stop start 12 months disrupted by repeated hamstring issues alongside groin and knee problems last season, had been hoping to use Eugene as a platform to rebuild momentum in her 2026 campaign. Instead, the race underlined the scale of the task still ahead.

Controlled Start Before Late Collapse

Adeleke settled into the race from lane three with a controlled but unspectacular opening, holding a workable position through the first 200 metres without fully asserting herself on the field. 

She remained in contact through the back straight, but the key separation came on the final bend where the leading group lifted and she was unable to match the change of pace, drifting off the back of contention. 

Off the home straight her rhythm broke down noticeably, and she faded sharply over the final 80 metres, with a particularly pronounced loss of speed in the closing 30 to 40 metres as the field moved clear, eventually crossing the line ninth in 52.26.

Oakley takes Victory in Deep Field

At the front of the race, Jamaica’s Dejanei Oakley delivered a commanding performance to win in 49.64, holding off a strong challenge from American Aaliyah Butler, who finished second in 49.97.

Another Jamaican, Stacey Ann Williams, completed the podium in 50.12, underlining the depth of a field that featured multiple athletes under the 50 second barrier this season.

European Championships Qualification Pressure

The result also has implications for her European Athletics Championships prospects, with the qualification window closing on July 27th.

Adeleke has already achieved the B standard over 200 metres with 22.86, but has limited ranking points due to her interrupted racing schedule, leaving her with little margin for error over the coming weeks.

With time running out, every remaining race now carries added significance as she attempts to secure her place in Birmingham.

Monaco Next

Attention now turns quickly to next Friday’s Monaco Diamond League meeting, where Adeleke is currently slated to compete again over 400 metres.

Whether she lines up will likely depend on how she comes through this race physically, particularly given the late-race fatigue evident in Eugene.

For now, however, the focus will be on recovery after a difficult return to the international stage, with more questions than answers following a testing night in Oregon.