RHASIDAT Adeleke has pulled out of Friday’s Monaco Diamond League 400m race.
Adeleke was originally listed to race but was then missing from the confirmed line-up on Thursday morning.
The Tallaght sprinter is yet to give a reason on the decision but will not feature in the 400m race.
Adeleke was due to be up against some high profile sprinters in the race including world number one Marileidy Paulino as well as world number three Natalia Bukowiecka.
The Lord Mayor award recipient produced a disappointing performance in her fourth place finish in Eugene, Oregon last week, finishing behind three sprinters ranked lower than her in the world rankings.
She ran a 51.33 leaving her well adrift of winner Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (49.43) and almost a full second slower than the season best she set in Oslo last month.(50.42)
She also finished behind Aaliyah Butler (49.86) who she was due to race again this week in Monaco.
The 22-year-old impressed in Oslo with a fourth place finish and a season best time in a stacked race just a month ago. A sixth place finish in Stockholm (50.48) followed for the Irish athlete where she finished just shy of her season best.
The European gold medalist’s decision comes as a surprise as a surprise as the World Athletics Championships are only two months away as it kicks off September 13.
Adeleke will be hopeful to make an impact at the Championships and add to her bronze 4X400m mixed relay medal from 2024.
The next Diamond League meet is in London – which doesn’t feature a 400m race – on July 19 before there is a month break in the almost weekly meets.
Adeleke competed in the Monaco Diamond League 400m race last year winning with a time (49.17) just short of the Irish national record (49.07) which she set a month previous at the European Championships.
Ciara Mageean – who missed the Olympics with an Achilles injury and was diagnosed with cancer last week – was the only other Irish representative at the event last year coming 10th(5:43.06) in the 2000m race.
The national treasure may run the risk of going into the World Championships lacking race sharpness due to the timing of her pulling out of the meet.
Despite Adeleke’s withdrawal, there will still be Irish athletes in action this weekend in the Morton International Games in Santry.
Stars such as Sharlene Mawdsley, Cathal Doyle, Nick Griggs, Molly Scott, Israel Olatunde and Bori Akinola will be in action in the bronze graded competition.
