Rhasidat Adeleke has claimed fourth place in the 400 metre final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
For the second night running, after Ciara Mageean in the 1500m, an Irish woman finishes just outside the medals in a track final.
Running in lane four, the NCAA champion had a solid start before finding her rhythm down the back straight.
Down the home stretch she was in third spot for a time before being overtaken by Sada Williams of Barbados, whose time of 49.60 seconds was just over half a second ahead of Adeleke, who clocked a time of 50.13
48.76 national record 🤩@Marileidy_P is your 400m world champion 💪
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 23, 2023
#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/7RvMzY8EUu
Marileidy Paulino (Dominican Republic) took gold ahead of Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland.
Paulino won in a national record time of 48.76, with Kaczmarek running 49.57.
Adeleke ran a courageous race to bring herself into contention off the last bend, but couldn't hold off back-to-back bronze medallist Williams.
Her NCAA gold medal time of 49.20 would have been enough for silver here, but it's possible a long season took its toll as the Irish record holder faded in the final 50 metres.
It capped a notable night for Ireland on the track in the Hungarian capital, after Sarah Lavin broke Derval O'Rourke's 100m hurdle national record to finish fifth in her semi-final.
Adeleke booked her spot in the final with a sub-50 second run in Monday's semi-final, powering home in the home stretch to take second place behind Paulino.
The Irish record holder had said she would change her race strategy to challenge for a medal in the final. The Tallaght sensation advanced as an automatic qualifier after finishing second in her semi-final in a time of 49.87, becoming the first Irish sprint finalist at a World Championships since David Gillick and O'Rourke in 2009.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen after the race, the 20-year-old dismissed the idea that she could be somewhat fatigued after a demanding US College season that began in January, insisting instead that she needed to address her conservative race start if she was to challenge for a medal.
"I was probably too comfortable in the first 200 metres. I need to start using my 200-metre speed," she said. "I knew I was strong, so regardless of where I was, I'd be able to finish, but for the final I know I need to change that tactic.
"I had to work too hard in my last 200, but that's something I’m going to use in the next race."
Having finished one place outside making the final at last year’s World Championships, Adeleke had taken almost a second and a half off the 400m Irish record over the last 12 months to enter the event as a real medal contender.
