Rhasidat Adeleke and Kate O’Connor eye on Los Angeles 2028 after lessons learned in Paris

Irish track and field athletes Rhasidat Adeleke and Kate O’Connor visited the legendary Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, a venue deeply connected to their country’s glorious sporting history. The pair hope to add to the list of achievements when they return to the arena in less than two years for the 2028 Olympics.

Their visit to California included a tour of key venues for the next Olympic forum. It was at the Coliseum in 1932 that Bob Tisdall won gold in the 400m hurdles and Pat O’Callaghan triumphed with his second Olympic gold in the hammer throw. Fifty-two years later, in 1984, John Treacy finished on the same track to claim silver in the marathon.

Rhasidat Adeleke and Kate O’Connor’s visit comes after a memorable summer for them. Last season marked the first time the two have won medals at the same major championship – a European silver in the 200m for Adeleke and a heptathlon title for O’Connor in Birmingham.

The time in the United States has given the two athletes the opportunity to exchange ideas and plan their preparations for the next 21 months before the biggest sporting event.

“The fact that we are here at the Coliseum puts everything into perspective. We talked about how big it is and imagined the track and the full stands. It makes the big goal much more tangible”, said Rhasidat Adeleke.

The sprinter stressed the importance of psychological freshness and protection from overwork after the physical and emotional trials in Paris, accompanied by injuries: “I realized how important it is to have time to rest, moments with family and mental relaxation. We need to train smarter, not necessarily harder. The hard, exhausting work has already been done, and it was that that sometimes led to injuries. Now we are going back to basics and focusing on quality, so that I can give 100 percent on the track, without the risk of burning out again”, added she.

Rhasidat Adeleke continues her training at the base in Texas under the guidance of coach Edrick Floréal. Although the silver in the 200 meters with a new Irish national record (22.28 seconds) opens up new opportunities for her, the 400 meters distance remains her main focus for the coming seasons and for the Games in 2028.

For Kate O’Connor, the trip to the West Coast has a completely different feel after seeing iconic locations like Venice Beach, the Santa Monica Pier and the old Route 66. After finishing 14th in the heptathlon at the Paris Games, she looks ahead with a changed mindset and ambition for medals.

“Paris was a turning point for me. These Games opened my eyes to the kind of athlete I want to be. The change in my mindset over the last two years has been huge, and my goal for Los Angeles is to be at the top of the podium”, said Kate O’Connor.

She also recalled the difficult journey to Paris after a serious ankle ligament tear and lower leg injury at the end of 2023 that put her season in doubt. Despite the ordeal, competing on the Olympic stage remains a dream come true and a solid foundation for her future aspirations.

After the disappointment of the Paris Olympics, Kate O’Connor initially looked for reasons for her failure outside herself.

“I definitely left extremely dissatisfied and tried to shift the blame. I pointed the finger at my father (Michael), the other coaches and the entire staff that was around me. I asked them if it wasn’t time to try something completely different and new”, said Kate O’Connor. “But about a week later, I took stock. I decided to change absolutely everything that depended on me – the quality of sleep, the diet, the recovery, and to start giving 100 percent in every training session”, added the athlete.

The positive effect was not long in coming. Just seven months after the competition in Paris, the Dundalk athlete won bronze in the pentathlon at the European Indoor Championships. This podium marked the beginning of an impressive series of seven medals at seven consecutive major forums, the most recent of which was gold in Birmingham.

“I had more potential this year that I didn’t fully exploit. My plan is to continue to work hard on each of the seven disciplines. The best athletes are scoring around 7,000 points, while my total is currently 6,750. I need to get closer to that mark to have a real chance of winning. I don’t feel like I’ve reached my limit at all, but in the all-around, the most important thing is to protect yourself from injuries”, she said.

When the Los Angeles Games come around, Kate O’Connor will be 27 years old, and her teammate Adeleke will be just 25. Both will be entering the prime of their careers.

“We’ve talked a lot in the last few days. Rashidat has achieved great success in the juniors and immediately transferred that level to the women’s level. However, in 2025 and 2026, she faced her first serious obstacles – injuries and various changes around her team, but she managed to overcome them”, said Kate O’Connor. “For me, the path was the opposite. As a younger athlete, when I was entering the women’s category, I was constantly suffering from injuries and had a hard time finding the right rhythm. Today, we both share the same mindset – we want to be in the best possible sporting shape when it comes time for the competition in Los Angeles.”, added she.