Purple is the colour as Rhasidat Adeleke eyes something special in the 400m

The morning session at the athletics and the Stade de France was practically full.

As one looked out from the press box, many Irish flags were visible. Indeed they were in evidence in the long queue ahead of the security/ticket check, just before you enter the stadium itself. Thankfully, things moved at a pace.

The session itself was dominated by repechage races, newly introduced from the 200m up to 1500m events. If you fail to qualify from your heat, you get a second chance to run, with the repechage taking place the following day.

Ireland's Cathal Doyle was a beneficiary of the new system by progressing to the semi-finals of the 1500m, after winning his backdoor race on Saturday.

Having attended more than a few events so far, Gala's 'Freed From Desire' is stuck in my head; that Eurodance hit is blasted out through the sound system at most of the venues. To be different, the Stade de France went through their back catalogue and pressed play on Abba's 'Dancing Queen'. Strange to think that that No 1 is nearly 50 years old. Its place in the musical order at the Saint-Denis venue came just after Rhasidat Adeleke convincingly won her 400m heat.

Maybe, in some way, it was a tribute to Adeleke's commanding performance, easing down with 30 metres to go, taking time to have a look around, and clocking 50.09 in victory. The current 'queen' of Irish athletics looked imperious. If it were a dance, the judge may be moved to say 'Fab-U-Lous'.

Judged by RTÉ television co-commentator, David Matthews, a change in how she carried herself was observed. "I saw a difference in her top half, much more relaxed from the waist up," said the former Olympian.

"Rhasidat had a tendency to roll when fatigued – now I'm not saying she fatigued or under any