Longhorn runner Rhasidat Adeleke expected to compete in Paris Olympics
AUSTIN (KXAN) — When a college student first moves from home and often becomes more independent, there can be some adjustments. For Rhasidat Adeleke, a major adjustment came when doing laundry.
"I called her on the phone and I was like 'What buttons do I press?'" Adeleke said about a conversation with her mother. "I was in Target and was like 'What detergent should I get?' And she realized how spoiled I was at that moment."
Like learning how to do laundry, the standout track athlete also became much more confident racing over her time at Texas. The Dublin, Ireland native came to Texas and experienced some early struggles. That made way for a lot of success.
"Now I'm not scared to race. I now see race as an opportunity to kind of show what I've been working on. To show the talents that I have. I don't see it as 'Oh my god, how about if I go out here and lose?' But more so 'How about if I go about here and win?'" Adeleke said.
Adeleke became a star during her time at Texas. Some of her accolades include becoming the 2023 NCAA Outdoor 400m Champion, being part of three collegiate records at the 2023 Texas Relays and earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Outdoor first-team All-American honors for 2023.
She's expected to compete in her first Olympics this summer for Ireland. The support she receives from her home country is massive.
"It definitely motivates me to kind of find a greater purpose to achieve my goals than just myself, my family. But knowing that there is a nation behind me and I could do something really big like possibly medal at a major championship, world Championships or Olympics," Adeleke said.