The absence of Rhasidat Adeleke from Team Ireland has been a hot topic in the build-up to the World Athletics Championships, which get underway in Tokyo this weekend.

Adeleke was Ireland’s biggest medal hope going into these championships, but announced midway through last month that she will sit out the remainder of the season due to a combination of injuries and off-track issues.

Recommended

“Lingering injuries & continuous setbacks made it increasingly difficult to train & perform at the level I expect from myself. Following yet another roadblock, I’m saddened to share that I’m unable to finish out this season,” the 23-year-old said in a post on her Instagram account.

It is a decision that has garnered much criticism from Irish athletics legend Sonia O’Sullivan, who questioned Adeleke’s intentions in a harsh Irish Times column.

My first concern for Rhasidat Adeleke right now is that she’s not being entirely open or honest. Not just with herself, but with some of the people around her…maybe another option for Tokyo would have been to just focus on the relay when she realised her individual 400m aspirations weren’t working out.

If she had the right mindset. That makes you realise, too, the relay will never be a high priority for her.

The comments from O’Sullivan garnered much attention, with many fans rallying behind one of the brightest stars in Irish sport, and others expressing similar frustrations.

The suggestion that Adeleke’s commitment to the 4x400m relay teams could be questioned appears to have been unequivocally shut down by her teammate Phil Healy, who launched a staunch defence of Adeleke this week.

READ HERE: Armenia Praise Ireland Fans For Brilliant Classy Gesture After Defeat In Yerevan

READ HERE: The 11 Counties That Have Appointed New GAA Managers For 2026 Season

Phil Healy defends Rhasidat Adeleke against criticism

31-year-old Phil Healy has not travelled to Tokyo with Team Ireland, but ran alongside Rhasidat Adeleke on the Ireland 4x400m relay team that won silver at the European Championships in Rome last summer.

“Athletes aren’t robots and expected to come out and perform year after year”

Irish Olympian Phil Healy weighs in on the situation involving Rhasidat Adeleke and Sonia O’Sullivan over the recent week.

Off The Ball Breakfast LIVE 7:30am w/ @UPMCInIreland | #GetBackInAction pic.twitter.com/QFbgrMml2h

— Off The Ball (@offtheball) September 11, 2025

She came to the defence of her Irish teammate in an interview with Off the Ball on Thursday, saying that athletes are not “robots” and suggesting Sonia O’Sullivan of all people should understand this.

“Absolutely,” Healy said when asked if she was surprised at O’Sullivan’s questioning of Adeleke’s honesty.

“Rhasidat’s my teammate, and I’m going to support Rhasidat in whatever she does.

“I think people forget that Rhasidat is only 23. Literally only 23 last week. She’s so, so young, and what she’s achieved in her career to date is absolutely phenomenal.

“I suppose she has the massive pressure of the nation as well to go out and perform.

Athletes aren’t robots and expected to come out and perform year after year. Obviously, the supporters want you to come out and perform year after year but, whether Rhasidat has an injury or whether she needs a break, everybody needs to support Rhasidat in doing that because, again, it’s the athlete deciding what’s best for her at that particular time.

If she’s going to go to a World Championship and she’s going to underperform, that obviously has a massive impact on her performances leading into next year, her recovery and different things.

For some time now, Rhasidat Adeleke has been one of the most highly rated prospects in Irish sport.

Her performances in Rome and at the Paris Olympics last summer announced her arrival at athletics’ highest level and have brought greatly amplified pressure on her shoulders.

Olympian Phil Healy admitted that the pressures of such public scrutiny were par for the course at the top level of sport, but said that many of those commenting on the issue may not have a full understanding of the behind-the-scenes issues.

I think it comes with the territory, no matter what the sport is. People are invested in your career and your journey and different things like that. I suppose it’s no different to us commenting on somebody else.

But until you know the ins and outs of what’s going on behind the scenes…some athletes share an awful lot, some keep a good bit hidden. But, I suppose, it comes with the territory.

Sonia is one of the greatest Irish athletes that there ever was, so Sonia knows exactly what it is like to be an athlete. You go through the struggles, you go through the injuries, you go through the performances. It comes as part of your career, it’s a given, it’s no straight road to success.

Rhasidat got to achieve so much last year. It would be a lot worse if she missed out on Paris and the European Championships than missing out on the World Championships this year.

A staunch defence from Phil Healy.

No doubt every Ireland fan will be hoping to see Rhasidat Adeleke back on track before too long.

The action gets underway at the World Athletics Championships late on Friday night Irish time, with Oisin Lane the first Irishman in action in the 35km race walk final at 23:30pm.

SEE ALSO: Ger Brennan Opens Door For Legendary Dublin Trio To Return For 2026